Kyoya x Reader One-shots
by hostclubmanager17
Summary: Like it says on the tin, just a bunch of Reader x Kyoya one-shots. Most fluctuate between K and T for language. At the moment, no smut is planned. Requests are open! If you have an AU or writing prompt you'd like me to write out, mention it in a review and I'll try my best to make it come to life!
1. College Cat

**Okay, this is my first time uploading a reader insert on , so I'm not completely sure what the protocol is, but I hope you all enjoy these stories anyways. Like I said before, I'm not asking for requests at the moment, but if there's something you'd like me to consider, I'll see if it sparks my interest, okay?**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: Any characters from Ouran High School Host Club are not mine. I promise.**

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 **Here's the key for you all:**

 **(F/n) = First name**

 **(L/n) = Last name**

 **(h/c) = Hair color**

 **(l/f/c) = Least favorite class**

College Cat

(F/n) let out a sigh as a soft breeze carded through her hair. Yellow and red leaves skittered across the ground around her feet and there was the faint scent of fall in the air. The girl shifted her jacket a little more securely around her shoulders and debated whether she should zip it up or not. It wasn't that cold out today, but there was a slight breeze that sent the occasional chill down her spine.

Even so, it was a lovely day…

 _If only I could focus!_

The (h/c) fixed her stare on the (l/f/s) book that was resting on her lap. She had class in an hour and she _still_ couldn't read more than a single paragraph without getting distracted. At first, she thought it was because of her roommate's music that she listened to when she did her own homework, so (F/n) had moved down into her dorm's common room. Only to find a very intense game of ping-pong taking place. After three more tries of finding an empty spot on campus, she just decided to sit outside of the building her next class was in.

Thankfully, there had been no one around and plenty of benches to choose from. (F/n) had decided on a flat, stone bench next to the fountain. In the next month the fountain's geyser would be shut off for the winter, so she was going to enjoy the babbling water for as long as she could.

Even though she could feel the slight bubbling panic of a failed test in her near future, (F/n) could still appreciate the calming effect of the fountain.

"Quick, catch that cat!"

(F/n)'s head jerked up away from her textbook just in time to see a very handsome boy running towards her, a tabby cat booking it in front of him with something large in its mouth. She quickly stood up, leaving the book on the bench, and feeling utterly bewildered. Though from the cat or the boy, she couldn't tell.

"What's wrong?"

The running pair passed her and the boy huffed, "It stole my wallet!"

(F/n) doesn't move for two seconds before she chases after him, laughing and shouting in disbelief, "The cat seriously stole your wallet?"

"Don't laugh, just catch it!"

"What's your name?"

"Kyoya Ootori! You?"

"(F/n) (L/n)!"

"Nice to meet you! Now split up!"

The two took off in opposite directions, trying to find a way to block the feline in. (F/n) had no clue _how_ the cat had gotten Kyoya's wallet, or _why_ it had taken it in the first place, but all she knew right now was that the phrase 'trying to herd cats' wasn't an overstatement. Catching the cat seemed all but impossible. After a while, Kyoya even starting shouting at it, like he was trying to reason with it.

"Why do you even _need_ my wallet? You can't use it! It has no food! Just _drop it_ already!"

(F/n) slowed to a stop, "We.. are never… gonna catch it…"

The boy leaned up against a nearby tree trunk, "Could… we… * _gasp_ *... bribe it… with something?"

Now, it was (F/n)'s turn to gasp. She ran back to the fountain and yanked open her backpack, roughly rummaging through her various notebooks and folders. _Come on. I know you put it in here. You_ always _do. Where is it?!_

"Aha!" (F/n) pulled out a sandwich wrapped up in a plastic cover and held it in the air triumphantly, "Kyoya! Herd that cat over here! But don't let it pass the sandwich!"

The boy nodded twice before pushing away from the tree and giving chase again. (F/n) frantically pulled the sandwich out of its wrapping and set it down on the stones between the bench and the fountain before running behind a tree.

Two minutes later, the cat was streaking back towards the fountain, but Kyoya slowed to a stop a few yards back, letting the feline slow to a stop again. If cats could look smug, this one sure as hell did.

But a few seconds later, its nose twitched. The cat looked around before it spotted the food left on the ground. It inched its way over, nose still wriggling. The tabby dropped the wallet and gave the sandwich a cautious sniff followed by a cautious bite. Next thing (F/n) and Kyoya saw, it was scarfing down its little treat.

Kyoya held up one of his hands for (F/n) to see and showed three fingers.

Three.

Two.

One.

" _Boo!_ " The two college students raced forward, startling the cat that still had the last half of the sandwich dangling out of its mouth. It took off, leaving the wallet behind. Kyoya scooped up his wallet as (F/n) started whooping and jumping up and down.

The ravenet smiled gratefully at the girl, "Thank you for your help. And, out of curiosity, what was in that sandwich?"

(F/n) smiled back, "Tuna. My roommate always goes on about eating healthy, so she makes me a tuna fish sandwich ever Tuesday and Thursday to eat during my class break.

He chuckled and tucked the wallet back into his back pocket, "Of all the luck, right?"

"Of all the luck," (F/n) repeated before half heartedly putting her backpack back together, "Except that was my lunch, so now you owe me a sandwich." She felt the beginnings of a blush when Kyoya smirked at her, readjusting his glasses. She had to admit… this guy was cute.

"When is your next class?"

"Um… in about 45 minutes?"

"Well, how about I buy you that sandwich now? I'm sure you're curious as to how I lost my wallet to a cat."

Now (F/n) couldn't _help_ but blush, "Sure."

Kyoya's smirk widened and he held out his arm, like a true gentleman. (F/n) smiled shyly and took it as he lifted her backpack out of her hands and over his own shoulder, save for the textbook she had tucked under her left arm. The two walked away from the fountain as Kyoya began his story.

" _And that kids, is how I met your father._ "

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 **Okay, not the worse choice for the first chapter. Let me know what you thought, and if there are any spelling issues please let me know so I can fix them.**

 **So read, favorite, follow, and review! I always love to read reviews!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	2. Untouchable

**Alright, I'm pleased with this one. It's a little different because it doesn't outright** _ **tell**_ **you who you're with but I'm pretty sure you can guess depending on the title for this story. That being said, I'm putting in the rest of the characters for this chapter, and I hope I portray them all accurately! If there's something I can improve on, just let me know!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Ouran characters. If I did, I would've made the manga a little less… cheesy. You know?**

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 **(F/n) = First name**

 **(L/n) = Last name**

 **(N/n) = Nickname**

 **(h/l) = Hair length**

 **(h/c) = Hair color**

 **(F/I) = First initial**

 **(N/c/o) = Name from country of origin**

 **(f/s) = Favorite subject**

 **Also, in this story, you're a 3rd year student with Honey and Mori. Enjoy!**

Classrooms

"Alright class, we're going to pair up in groups of two or three for this worksheet. No groups of four. Once you have a group, raise your hand and I'll pass out the assignment."

Chairs started squeaking the moment Mr. Miyamoto released the class. One of those chairs belonged to Kasai Shigeru. He scrambled to collect his books, eyes never leaving the (h/c) girl near the front of the class.

"Hey, Shi-kun. Are you going to-"

"Not today, Mii-chan. I'm pairing up with (L/n)-san."

His best friend raised her eyebrows and looked at the girl as well, "Shi-kun...are you sure that's a good idea?"

"I'm really going to do it this time. Just watch." Shigeru stepped away from his desk and made a beeline towards the girl. He pushed through the crowd of four other boys who were hovering around the (N/c/o). Today was going to be the day. He could feel it.

He could also feel the strong arm that just wrapped itself around his neck and is now dragging him backwards.

Struggling in the grip and trying to keep breathing, Shigeru could see a small blond boy bounce up to (F/n) and give her a hug before sitting beside her. She smiled, then looked around the room for the small boy's counterpart. However, said counterpart was currently busy dragging Shigeru back to the other side of the room.

The two boys passed other groups of boys and girls who either followed his process with pitying or 'what were you expecting' looks. Just before he blacked out from lack of air and embarrassment, Shigeru found himself dropped unceremoniously in a chair beside Mii-chan and her boyfriend. Rubbing his neck, he forced himself to look up at Morinozuka Takashi, nearly suffering from vertigo in the process. The gentle giant was glaring at him, as if he wanted to reach down and pull Shigeru's lungs out through his throat.

He gulped.

Without a word, Mori turned on his heel and marched back across the room to sit on (F/n)'s other side. She looked up at the boy with a smile and he ruffled her (h/l) (h/c) hair, making her bat at his hands and giggle playfully. The sound made Shigeru's chest hurt.

His friend sighed and signed their names at the top of the worksheet, "I don't mean to say 'I told you so', but-"

"Shut up, Mii-chan."

Hallways

There she is. All alone at her locker. But she wouldn't be for long; she never was.

 _If I'm going to do this, I need to do it fast._ Sucking in a breath and steeling his nerve, Yasuo shifted his math book under his arm and walked forwards. As he neared the (N/c/o), he practiced his lines inside his head yet again. ' _(L/n)-san? I need some help with the (f/s) homework we were assigned today. Can you assist me with it during lunch?'_

If everything went according to plan, she'd say yes, be wowed by his charm as they worked together, and in the future agree to marry him. Just like that. But he knew he was running out of time very quickly.

Pushing past a group of chattering females, making them glare heatedly in his direction, Yasuo grew closer and closer to the (h/c). He reached out, about to tap her shoulder and set his courtship plan into motion when his time abruptly ran out.

"(F/n)!" Tamaki Suoh smacked his hand away as he wrapped the girl up in a bear hug, holding her body close.

"Ah! Tamaki!" She laughed loudly and playfully pushed him away, grinning broadly at one of her younger friends.

The blond wasn't deterred and instead scooped up her lunchbox and slung an arm out, looping it with her's as if he were her escort, "Come on, we're going to lose the table!"

"Everyone knows it's ours, they won't touch it!"

And now they were walking away, Yasuo left in the dust without ever even touching the girl. _Damn it. Damn, damn, damn it._

As if he could hear the boy's angry thoughts, Tamaki looked over (F/n)'s shoulder and glared at him. Yasuo was a good twenty feet away, but he could still hear the message as clear as day.

'You never had a chance anyways. Keep away.'

Leaning against the lockers and scuffing his shoe on the ground, Yasuo watched their progression down the hallway. Not a single shoulder clipped them, not one arm brushed against theirs, they didn't have to maneuver around anyone else in the entire hallway. The only thing that ever touched them were the eyes of boys and girls alike and the stench of desperation.

Like him. He had been desperate. Maybe that's how the host's always step in at the right moment; they could sense it.

Yasuo turned and walked away. _It makes sense._

Lunchroom

 _Right, here we go._

"(F/n)-senpai?" She didn't turn around, walking past the lunch line and towards the tables. Tamotsu frowned and quickly paid for his own lunch before following her.

"(F/n)-senpai!" She kept walking. The lunchroom was too loud, of course. There was no way she was going to hear him without getting closer to her.

Ducking around other students and skirting tables, he gained ground on the girl. The two were getting closer and closer to the host club's usual lunch table, and he knew that once she sat down Tamotsu wouldn't be allowed 5 feet near her. His only chance was to get her attention before that happened.

"(F/I)-," his right foot caught on something and his body was suddenly approaching the floor at an alarming speed. He dropped his tray full of food and tried to catch himself, but it was too late. The next instant his face was full of mashed potatoes and his school jacket was covered with green beans.

Laughter echoed around him as he sat up and wiped his face off as quickly as possible. Once his vision was no longer blocked by potatoes, Tamotsu saw that everyone sitting at the two tables he had fallen in between were staring at him, as well as everyone standing around. Including (F/n).

Most of them were laughing, a few looked concerned, but a majority looked somewhere in between. (F/n) was fighting a smile. _Oh god. Can the Earth just split apart and swallow me whole?_

(F/n) took a step closer to probably help him up, but before she could take another the Hitachiin twins latched themselves to her sides and steered her away. Tamotsu groaned and hung his head. The one moment where something good might've come of the situation…

Two arms looped under his armpits and hoisted him to his feet. He looked up to see Ryuu and Toma. _Thank goodness._

The three friends are out of the lunchroom in record time and in a bathroom even quicker. Tamotsu washes his face off as best as he could, trying to wipe off the mashed potatoes and the shame. But mostly the potatoes

"Take off your jacket, I have an extra one in my locker we can grab before class starts."

"You two are life savers."

"Good thing too, since you're in such a hurry to kill yourself."

Tamotsu looked at Ryuu, "I just wanted to talk to her."

" _And_ _Hikaru Hitachiin was right next to you._ You need to be more careful or else the next time you'll be falling out of a second story window instead of into some beans."

Library

' _(F/n), would you like to see a movie with me this weekend? I won two tickets and thought you'd like to see it.' See? Easy! Not too forward, but a nice gesture nonetheless._ Akihiku looked down at the two tickets in his hand and back up at the doors. _There's no need to worry, (F/n)'s nice. Hopefully she's nice enough to say yes and I won't have to feel like a fool for buying a useless ticket._

So why was he stalling?

"Right. No more waiting. Go time." Akihiku slipped into Library Room #2 and walked straight to the fiction section. Any worries that (F/n) might have chosen a different library for the day vanished the second he set foot through the doors. It was dead silent. And there was only one person special enough to make the librarians step up their game and actually perform noise control methods.

She was here.

Knowing where her usual spot was, Akihiku stopped right behind a bookshelf and peeked out at her. She was sitting on a big cushy chair, curled up with a book and her backpack resting against her right leg. For a moment, Akihiku just appreciates the quiet serenity of the moment. The small smile on her face, the gentle gaze as she read the book, the tenderness in which she held it. He wanted all of that for himself.

Once he'd finished admiring his goal, he went back to business. The chair to her left was empty. Perfectly, gloriously empty. So, either Kyoya was off checking out another book or he was collecting a printed paper from the library's printer. This was great, because it wasn't often Kyoya left her alone for any amount of time, but it also meant Akihiku had to move fast in order to take advantage of the situation. Kyoya was never gone for long-

"Move along now."

Jolting, Akihiku turned to see the Shadow King towering over him, evil aura leaking out from his pores to smother the boy in front of him.

"I-I-I wasn't-"

"No words. Just look frightened and scuttle." For a brief moment of insanity, Akihiku considered staying. Running over to (F/n) before he could be stopped. But at one glance into Kyoya's black eyes, he realized that some things just weren't worth his life. He ran, tickets fluttering to the ground behind him in his haste.

Noticing said tickets, Kyoya scooped them off the ground and looked at them. He smirked and pocketed the slips of paper before returning to his seat.

Music Room #3

"(L/n)-san! Wait up!"

It was at this point in his life that Raiden knew that God, all his angels, the three Fates, the sun, the moon, and the rest of the universe was smiling down upon him this day, because (F/n) actually stopped just outside of Music Room #3, turned, and smiled at him.

"Kita-san! Hello!"

For a few moments, he can't say anything. In all honesty, he didn't think he'd get this far. In fact, he may be the first boy outside of the host club to even speak with the girl all week. Perhaps even all month! Didn't someone say that the host's assigned themselves to protect her in all the different areas of the school, a different host for each area?

 _Forget it, it's not important right now! Just ask her if she has anything planned for the weekend! Come on, Raiden! Ask her out! Do it!_

"I, uh, wanted to ask you-"

 _SLAM!_

He blinked at the empty air that now wafted around where (F/n) had been two seconds ago. The faint blur of red hair and golden eyes was still smudged in his head. Not quite wanting to believe his bad luck, Raiden couldn't do anything but stare as Music Room #3's doors vibrating slightly in their frames. After a few moments of stunned silence, he turned on his heel and walked away.

 _Guess it's not a rumor._

Kitchen

 _Okay, here we go. Just like those popular British spy movies. And… go!_ Keiichi slipped through the Music Room doors and raced around the edge of the room to his target. _Why does she have to be in the far back corner?_

By moving faster than he'd ever gone before, Keiichi made it to the host club's kitchen. (F/n)'s dwelling, where she made cheap but delicious cakes for the club, as was her position. And, as luck would have it, she was in there. He sat at one of the stools at the bar top and stared at her back as she bustled about, frosting a delicious looking cake. _Now comes step two. Get her attention!_

"(N/n)~chan~!" Keiichi snapped his jaw shut. That hadn't come… from _him_ , right?

(F/n) turned to her left, still not seeing Keiichi, and smiled widely, "Yes, Honey? What can I get you?"

"Can I have another piece of cake? _Pretty please?_ "

She giggled, looking absolutely adorable, and agreed. Keiichi watched her walk towards a towering cupboard in the far corner, but suddenly he was yanked down underneath the countertop. Small, strong hands held him down as someone else tied him up, gagging him in the process.

Struggling in the grip, Keiichi rolled onto his back to look up at his attackers, Honey-senpai and one of the Hitachiin brothers.

The redhead looked at the smaller boy, "Honey-senpai, hurry back into the kitchen and distract (F/n)-senpai. I'll get this," he nudged Keiichi's side with his shoe, "out of here when she's not looking."

"Okay, Kao-chan." The blond nodded once and hurried away. So, this twin was Kaoru. Despite everything, Keiichi was a bit relieved. While the Hitachiin's were famous for their pranks and less-than-kind actions towards anyone outside their inner circle, Hikaru was a little sharper and colder than his younger brother. If it had been Hikaru, then Keiichi would probably be on his way into the school fountain by now.

As it was, Kaoru crouched down next to his head and frowned, a look of disdain evident on his face, "You know… while it is nice every once in awhile for Honey-senpai to get some action, it also means I get double duty those days. It gets tiring, especially since this is the third time this week I've had to drag someone out of this room. I mean, is it so much to ask for a little respect?"

Not waiting for any muffled response he might've gotten, Kaoru sighed and grabbed Keiichi by his armpits to begin dragging the bound boy through the room. The hosts and the guests watched, none of them bothering to move. Some of them even ignored the occurrence outright after a quick glance. As his feet dragged along the tile floor, Keiichi could hear some of their conversations.

"Oh, look. Another one."

"Yeah. I'm surprised they're still trying. Anyways, Tamaki, what do you think of my new nail polish?"

"When will they learn?"

"Isn't this the third time this week?"

"Yeah. I saw three other guys try today, and Eiko says she saw someone at the library."

"Don't you think somebody should _tell_ them? It's not like _we_ don't know about it! It's obvious!"

" _Boys_ …"

"I know, right?"

Knowing his face was dark red, Keiichi was happy when they finally exited the music room. Kaoru set him on his feet and went to untie him, only to stop. He narrowed his golden eyes before looking up at Keiichi's face and pulling back.

"You know what? Those girls were right. This is beginning to be tiresome. We need to make some more examples instead of just tripping people into their potatoes. And more than that, it needs to be out in the open. If the girls know about it too… then what's the point anymore? I'll need to have a talk with him…"

Still muttering to himself, Kaoru turned around and started walking back to the music room. Filled with panic, Keiichi let out a muffled yell and hopped after him, struggling to stay on his feet. _No! Don't leave me like this!_

The twin looked at him, unimpressed, "Look, nothing personal, but this will do nicely as to set a point. When the story of a boy left tied up circulates the school, it'll just be easier for the real story to come out. Sorry. I'm sure you'll find someone else to untie you."

The next second, Keiichi is all alone in the hallway yet again. He looked down at himself, all tied up and being used as an example. Sighing into the gag, he began hopping down the hallway. With nothing else to do, he ran every single sentence he had heard that evening starting from when he was tied up.

 _So, Honey is in charge of keeping boys away from her while she's baking, but Kaoru's in charge of the Music Room. Okay. I guess more boys try to ask her out than I thought. And it sounds like there's a big secret going on about her and a guy. Most likely a host..._

Keiichi stopped hopping and stared out into empty space.

 _Oh._

After School

"Here goes nothing. (F/I)-"

"(F/n)-senpai!" Out of flipping _nowhere_ Haruhi was brushing past Shoji and ushering the famous Host Club's Baker Girl away from school grounds, "We need to get you home and ready for the movie! You don't want to go in your uniform, do you?"

"No, I suppose not." The two ran out the front gates and down the sidewalk. Shoji stared in disbelief. That happened faster than he thought it would've. The other members of the chess club patted his back in sympathy, including Keiichi who had come to the club thirty minutes late because Kaoru Hitachiin had tied him up and dumped him in the hallway.

"Does it always happen that fast?"

Keiichi shrugged, "Sometimes. I didn't even get a syllable out."

Akihiku spoke up, "I didn't even get within twenty feet of her. Ootori-san snuck up on me. I even lost the movie tickets."

"Damn," Yasuo crossed his arms, "This is embarrassing. I think you're the _seventh_ boy to try and talk to her _just today_ and not one of them held a full conversation with her, including me. Heck, I don't think she even knew I was there."

"Seriously? Who-"

"Tamaki."

"Ah."

Shoji shook his head, "She's untouchable."

"No kidding."

"Hear, hear."

"I think I know why." The ten boys gathered whipped their heads to face Keiichi, who was looking at the ground. "If I had to guess… I'm starting to wonder if someone in the club has a crush on (F/n)… and the others are keeping other boys away from her for him."

" _Wow. You really_ are _that dense, aren't you._ "

Bonus

The group turned around to stare at the new person in their conversation.

"Renge? What do you mean, dense?"

The host club's manager gave them all a condescending smile, "Exactly what I said, you boys are dense. Now, as manager of the Host Club, I was in attendance at their meeting a few minutes ago. Kaoru made a few very valid points and now we are in agreement. However, I feel like I should give you boys a heads up for tomorrow's grand revelation, considering most of you attempted to ask out (F/n)-senpai today. I won't tell you outright, but I suppose I can give you a small hint…"

The ten boys exchange glances, but don't dare interrupt. Where is she going with this?

"(F/n)-senpai is currently dating one of the host members."

Ten jaws dropped in unison.

"W-what? But, who-"

"I'm sure you can figure that part out on your own. You must have brains _somewhere_ in your heads. So, here's another hint: Where did Haruhi say (F/n)-senpai was going again?"

"... _Oh. Oh... my..._ "

" _Why that little-THOSE WERE MY MOVIE TICKETS!_ "

End

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 **Eh, I like this one. It really drives in the whole 'Host Club is a big family' trope that I'm a huge fan of.**

 **Anyways, after you read please take the time to follow, favorite, and review my story! I like hearing your thoughts!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	3. Book Store

**Hello everyone! I'm glad that there are people who are liking these one-shots. I was a little nervous about putting reader-inserts on this site, but it looks like they're being well received so far! I just wanted to take a little break from writing OCs, you know?**

 **Anyways, thank you to my first two reviewers, emryspottedjackson613 and Zoey24. You're awesome!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Ouran Highschool Host Club, and I never will.**

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 **(h/c) = Hair color (i.e. brunette, blonde, etc.)**

 **(f/c) = Favorite color**

 **(L/n) = Last name**

 **(F/n) = First name**

 **(N/c/o) = Name from country of origin (i.e. American, Spaniard, etc.)**

 **(C/n) = Random country name**

Book Store

" _Sir? Sir? You need to_ wake up, please. Sir?" Kyoya's eyelids flickered as he pushed himself up into a sitting position with a groan. The left side of his face hurt, it was too bright in the room, and his back was all cramped up. His usual anger at being woken up stirred within his belly, but at least he'd gotten in more control of his actions over the years. Breaking one too many alarm clocks tends to do that to a person.

 _Damn it. I fell asleep again._

He rubbed his eyes beneath his glasses, unsticking the nose pieces from his skin, "I'm terribly sorry. What time is it?"

"About… 11 pm."

Kyoya stiffened before looking up at the girl who had woken him up, "I thought the store closed at 9."

"It did."

"Then why didn't you wake me?"

The (h/c) shrugged and shifted the small (f/c) purse at her side, "I just thought I'd let you sleep until I had to leave, but now we both need to go because I can't ask you to lock up on your way out… I'll be fired."

"So, you're just lonely and I was your company… just asleep?" Kyoya packed away his things, observing the girl silently as he awaited his answer. Even though he still wasn't pleased he had been woken up from a vaguely good dream, he was glad it had been _her_ to wake him. She sat in front of him in their Physics class, but had yet to speak with her. Mostly because the boy who sat beside her claimed her as his partner every day. But, as he was now at a university and not in high school, it was generally harder to gather information on his fellow students, and was, frankly, a little lost on how to breech any sort of conversation with her.

Only now she was the one talking to him, and he finally got the chance to admire her from not so far away.

"Not really. You fall asleep at this table every week day, so I figured that you don't get enough sleep in your dorm room and it would be better for you to get your sleep here, because then at least you _are_ getting sleep. And it was only two hours, besides."

Kyoya looked up at her, "Thank you. And you're right, my roommate is quite loud and seems to always be on a sugar high. He's an early riser too, which doesn't exactly work with my late night studying habits."

"I totally get it. My roommate studies pretty much constantly, which makes her stay up late some nights or get up early other days. I can't sleep when there's a light on, so her non-existent sleep schedule is serious messing up mine."

The two chuckle and Kyoya stood up, swinging his book bag with his laptop and three of his textbooks in it over his shoulder, "Shall we?" The two walked out of the campus bookstore/café/study area side by side, Kyoya waiting for her to lock the door behind them.

"I'm sorry, I haven't formally introduced myself. Ootori Kyoya."

She smiled and took his offered handshake, "(L/n) (F/n). I think we're in the same Physics class."

Kyoya nodded, "I think I recall seeing you. Actually... I do believe you sit in front of me."

"Really? Then we'll have to talk in class more often, Well, goodnight, Ootori-san. I'll see you in class tomorrow."

"Wait, would you mind if I walked you to your dorm? After all, it is my fault that you had to stay out this late in the first place." (F/n) eyed him curiously for a moment before smiling shyly and nodding.

The two took a right and started walking, keeping close to the streetlamps. The University of Tokyo may be one of the top ten safest universities, but there was still the odd threat from stupid people. Still, (F/n) felt much safer at this campus than she did back in (C/n) at her previous University.

"Thinking hard?"

"Hm? Oh, I was just thinking about how this university is much safer than the one I was supposed to attend back in (C/n) and… Thank you for walking me. Campus may be safe, but you never know and I'm grateful for your concern."

Kyoya smirks and walks a little closer to her, "You don't need to thank me (L/n)-san. It was my honor."

(F/n) faces away to hide her blush, "Um, what were you studying today, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Calculus homework and a paper for my World History class that's due this Friday."

"You wouldn't happen to have Kobo-sama for World History, would you?"

"Yes, actually, I do."

"Hm, I'm taking that same class, and I can't get anywhere with that stupid paper." (F/n) fiddled with her purse, hoping the handsome boy on her left would take the hint. Kyoya chuckled and adjusted his strap on his shoulder, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"If you would like, I shall be in the North Hall dining area from 11:15 to 12:30 and I wouldn't say no to some company."

"I might take you up on that offer, Ootori-san."

"Then could you do me a favor and call me Kyoya?"

"Sure! _Ahem_ , ah... could you call me (F/n), then?"

"Of course."

The two arrived at (F/n)'s dorm. Kyoya made a small humming noise in the back of his throat.

"What?"

"Your dorm is across the street from mine." (F/n) grinned and pulled out her key card as Kyoya chuckled and followed up with, "It is quite the coincidence."

As the light above the door turned green, (F/n) responded, "I don't believe in coincidences. The universe is hardly ever so lazy." Kyoya regarded her as she walked through the doors, "Night, Kyoya. See you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, (F/n)."

Kyoya smiled and walked across the street, humming to himself, unaware of a certain blond half-French, half-Japanese boy staring at him from their shared dorm room, ready to chew him out for not kissing the pretty girl when he had the chance.

* * *

 **Eh, it's a little short, but I'm okay with it. Sorry if Kyoya seems a little OC or whatever in this one. And yeah, he and Tamaki are room mates. Lord help him. Can you guess who your roommate is? Free cookies to the first person who does!**

 **If you like what you read, please favorite, follow, and review! For every review I receive, a rainbow shall appear! (I don't know where, but it'll be there)**

 **See you next chapter!**


	4. Five Times Kissed

**Okay then! Since more people preferred my second chapter, with all of the hosts included, I've decided to make another one like that. Hope it goes over well!**

 **Oh, and Genricname was the first to guess correctly that Haruhi was Reader's roommate! Free cookies for you, Genricname!**

 **(And to emryspotterjackson613, the reason Kyoya didn't know about Haruhi's roommate was because you need specific keys to get into the dorms, which means the club members can't pop in on Haruhi at random, and Kyoya can't research people on campus)**

 **Also, in this one, _everyone_ knows that Kyoya likes you but yourself, and they all ship it.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own OHSHC, cross my heart.**

* * *

 **(F/n) = First name**

 **(h/c) = Hair color**

 **(e/c) = Eye color**

 **(B/f/n) = Best Friend's name**

The Five Times (F/n) Kissed a Host

and

The One Time a Host Kissed Her

(1)

" _Take... my hand… we'll hide in the corner, hide in the corner…_ " (F/n)'s soft voice trailed off, rhythmically stroking Honey's hair as his breathing evened out. She hummed the last few notes, smiling at the now sleeping boy who had his head in her lap. His soft snores ruffled the edge of her dress with each exhale.

As the song ended, the rest of the host club shook themselves out of their stupor. While (F/n)'s singing lulled the Boy-Lolita to sleep quicker, skipping over the cranky whining, her voice also distracted the other boys from their business such as homework and club preparations.

(F/n) slowly lifted the blond into her arms to stand up herself before depositing him on the couch cushions to continue his nap. He curled in on himself contently with his head on her shoulder and thumb in mouth, looking like her 5 year old son instead of her older classmate. She tucked him in gently with his favorite pink blanket, like a mother would.

In essence, that's what she was. While Kyoya had been dubbed "Mommy" by his best friend because of his position in the club, (F/n) was far more like their actual mother. She was the one who cleaned their scratches when they fell, told them to ease up on the sweets, refocused them from their games to their homework, the whole package. All that was missing was the official title, but Tamaki was adamant that his "wife" never be replaced.

The boys watched as (F/n) slipped Usa-chan between Honey's arms and brushed the hair out of his eyes. He let out a tired hum and snuggled deeper into the covers. The entire room let out a collective "Awww…" as she leaned down and planted a small kiss on the little boy's forehead.

When she stepped away Tamaki wrapped her up in a hug and whisper shouted about how precious she was. No one noticed how Kyoya's eyes were fixed to his journal or how his signature smirk looked more forced than usual.

(2)

"Alright (F/n), your first lesson on behaving like a lady. Are you ready?"

(F/n) crossed her arms and suck deeper into the cushions of the couch, looking very unimpressed, "Not really. Why do I need to know any of this? This isn't my world." It took all of Tamaki's willpower to not answer with ' _Because you're probably going to marry someone very wealthy, hopefully Kyoya if we have anything to say about it, and it will_ become _your world._ ' But he couldn't.

Kyoya would _actually_ murder him if he did.

"As a member of the host club, you need to know the proper way to behave-" he faltered at the death glare the (h/c) was sending him and quickly rerouted, "-I mean I want to teach future host club members who are going to replace us in a few years and I need to practice."

She relaxed immediately, grateful for his attempt to avoid insulting her, "Okay, Tamaki. What's the first lesson? Please, no more setting down tea cups…"

"Of course not!" Tamaki laughed nervously as he mentally threw away his only lesson plan. "You already know all about that. Right. We will be, instead, learning how to…er, woo, so to speak. Or, in your case, to _be_ wooed. There's an art in a lady's reaction to being courted."

"Uh huh. So, now you're courting me?"

"No! Not at all!" Tamaki was well aware of Kyoya's eyes suddenly pinpointing on the two of them from across the room and knew he needed to tread carefully.

"Right, first we'll work on receiving a kiss to the back of the hand. When gripping the gentleman's fingers, you need to squeeze with just the right amount of pressure. Not too tight and not too loose."

He offered his hand and, after a sigh, she took it, "Squeeze my hand a little tighter now, you don't want to seem uninterested if that's not what you're aiming for. Wait, wait, wait, not too tight either. Don't appear needy." (F/n) nodded and narrowed her (e/c) eyes in concentration. The two went at it for a few minutes. Occasionally she would get it just right, but then Tamaki would pull their hands upwards and she'd lose the proper grip.

Finally, she threw her hands up into the air, "I'll never get it! I don't know how it's supposed to feel! I'm going in blind!" Tamaki rubbed his cheek, trying to come up with a way to fix this. Teaching was harder than he thought…

And suddenly… brilliance struck.

"How about a role-reversal? I'll show you how you're supposed to react first hand, and then we'll try it for real."

"Hm. Okay, let's give it a try." (F/n) offered her hand and Tamaki delicately took it. She paid close attention to the pressure he was applying as she raised his hand up to her face. The moment her lips connected with the back of his hand, Tamaki was suddenly aware that he may have just signed his death certificate. He found out he was right as a strong hand clasped his shoulder, tightly.

"Excuse me, you two. I hate to interrupt your lesson, but Tamaki and I need to discuss something."

Missing the look of complete horror on her friend's face, (F/n) smiled at Kyoya and nodded, "Sure thing! I think I can figure the rest of the lesson out by myself." She turned away as her "teacher" was hauled across to the other side of the room. In fact, (F/n) was so absorbed in gripping her own hands, trying to recreate the pressure, that she completely missed the slap upside the head he received as well.

(3)

"Where is it?! Where is it?! I had it, like, two minutes ago! It just _can't_ be gone!" The host club watched in concern as (F/n) raced around the room frantically, clearing off every table methodically before moving onto the next one.

Haruhi stepped forward as she pulled away from another failed search, "(F/n)? What are you looking for?" The (h/c) turned towards her friend and grabbed her hands.

"My bracelet! The one (B/f/n) gave me for my birthday just before I moved away! I can't find it!" The poor girl looked to be on the verge of tears. It tugged at the host's heartstrings to hear her like this.

Kyoya walked up and gently gripped her shoulders, "We'll help you find it. Where was the last place you remember having it on?"

"I took it off and placed it on a table so I wouldn't get any window cleaning solution on it, but now I can't find it!" The hosts spread out, on a mission, each of them looking under tables and beneath the napkins while Kyoya attempted to calm the frantic girl down.

Mori narrowed his eyes in thought. Hadn't (F/n) started cleaning the windows by his and Mitsukuni's table? Walking over, he started lifting up the tea saucers and napkins. About a third of the way around, Mori lifted a saucer and something fell onto the table. He picked up the bracelet and admired it for a moment. You could definitely see the sentimentality behind the gift, and the amount of thought that went into making it perfect for (F/n). No wonder she wanted to find it so bad.

"(F/n)." The girl was at his side in a matter of seconds and he handed it over.

"You found it!" (F/n) slipped the token onto her wrist before jumping up and hugging the tall boy around his neck. He smiled slightly and hugged her back, glad he had helped his friend. He hates seeing the people he cared about looking so miserable; and when (F/n) was sad, _everyone_ was sad.

"Thank you so much, Mori." A pair of soft lips pecked his cheek before she hurried back towards the kitchen to continue on with her work. Despite himself, Mori felt a small bit of heat rising to his cheeks. But he hid it well, because he knew that a pair of grey eyes were currently trying to burn a hole through his head.

(4)

"Left, right, left, right, twi~irl. Arms u- ow!" Kaoru quickly released (F/n)'s hands and her arms fell back down to her sides. She rubbed at her shoulder and turned to face her dance partner.

"I'm sorry. I'm _never_ going to get it, (F/n)-senpai… maybe we should give up."

"What are you talking about? You're already getting better!"

Kaoru bit his lip, "Maybe we shouldn't have started with the salsa…"

"Hey, you want to learn and I want to teach. You'll get it, I know you will. Just… try to stop giving me a half-nelson." They chuckled and Kaoru held out his hands again. They stood in the ready position for a moment before taking off again.

"Left, right, left, right, twi-AHHH!" The two tumbled to the floor in a mess of bodies. Kaoru sits up with (F/n) on his lap. He groans and lets his head fall back.

"I'm sorry, (F/n)-senpai! I'm a failure at this!"

The girl merely laughed and cupped his face, making her look her in the eye, "Kaoru, you may be many things, including a troublemaker and a moron, but you are most certainly not a failure." She kissed the top of his head and stood back up.

"Ready to try again?"

Kyoya turned back to his computer screen, lips pressed together tightly.

(5)

"What do you mean, _leave?_ You've nowhere to go!"

"I'll make my way, and please quit shouting."

"I'll stop shouting when you start making sense! You're not going anywhere!"

Haruhi tapped Kaoru on the shoulder, eyeing her shouting friends, "What's this all about? (F/n) isn't… leaving, right?" She watched (F/n) and Hikaru as their argument grew more and more heated, concern filling her eyes. If (F/n) really was leaving… Kyoya would be _crushed_. Not to mention he'd probably become an absolute terror to be around.

"Mmm?" Kaoru looked away from his video game and glanced up at his brother and friend, "Oh, no. Hikaru got the lead role in his drama class and he's a little nervous about it, so he somehow convinced (F/n) and I to help by reading the other lines. They're practicing the climax of the play right now, when the female lead is about to leave because she doesn't know her love interest loves her back, as he's supposed to marry someone else. She's pretty good at it, too."

"Ooooh." Haruhi looked the two friends arguing with new eyes. Now that she thought about it, their words definitely had a rehearsed sound to them. "What about you, Kaoru? Aren't you in the play?"

"No, it's not really my thing."

"Really? I thought that if Hikaru had a class then you'd-"

"Nah, I'm not a great actor. Hosting, I can do. Acting on a stage with lines… no. I'm working _with_ the drama class though, in costumes and scenery. Hikaru was with me for a while, but he started mouthing the actor's lines until he finally worked up the nerve to try out for a part. I'm so proud of him for getting the lead!"

"Oh. That makes sense."

The two turn back to the shouting pair, now smiling. Hikaru _was_ displaying his character amazingly. (F/n) wasn't doing too bad either; even though she had to glance at her script on occasion, she never missed a beat.

"While I would love to continue shouting at you, my train is now boarding."

" _You're. Not. Leaving._ "

"You have no say in whether I leave or not! Why do you even care?"

"I don't!"

"Then let me go!"

"Why are you leaving? Tell me why!"

Suddenly, (F/n) grabbed Hikaru's shirt collar and kissed him right on the lips. A gasp circulates the room, as well as a snapping sound. Haruhi looked over to see Kyoya clenching a broken pen with red ink running through his fingers. _Oh no_.

The two parted, " _Now I'm definitely not letting you go._ "

They stared at each other for a moment before she muttered, "Aaaand… scene."

"Gah!"

"Augh!"

They pushed each other away and furiously wiped their lips, but laughing anyways.

"Your lips are so chapped!"

"Better than smothered with slimy lip gloss!"

"I'm not even wearing any!"

"Why'd I ask for _your_ help?

"Why did I say _yes_?"

The two continued to laugh and shout at each other, making a show of wiping their lips and fake dying. After a minute of watching them lie motionless on the tile floor with the occasional twitch, Kaoru walked over and poked his brother with his toe.

"So...how'd it feel?"

(F/n) wrinkled her nose, "Like incest. Trust me, I made that kiss as platonic as I could muster."

Hikaru stood up and looked past his brother at the others, his eyes narrowing, "Kyoya-senpai? What's that on your hand?" Kyoya pulled his ink stained hand behind his back and walked out of the room without another word, unaware of a certain girl standing up to follow him or how a tall blond was shaking a red-haired twin by his shirt.

*1*

(F/n) stood outside the boy's bathroom door with her hands behind her back and her toes pointing towards each other. She could hear the water running and the furious scrubbing of soap lather on hands. Biting her lip, she worked up her courage to knock. She'd only seen the barest glimpse of his hand before he'd hurried out of the music room, and all she'd seen was something red. Had he cut himself? Was he hurt?

These questions were what finally made her raise her hand and rap sharply on the wooden door, "Kyo? Are you okay?" The water stopped abruptly and Kyoya suddenly ripped open the door to glare at her. (F/n) gasped softly. He looked pissed off.

"Don't you have a play to rehearse?"

"Not my play. I was only helping Hikaru because I was bored. You're more important than _that_ I would think. Did you cut your hand on something?"

Kyoya was quiet for a while, looking down at the tiles instead of at the (h/c) in front of him, "I merely broke my red pen. There was no need to worry over me, but thank you."

(F/n) visibly relaxed, "Good, and you're welcome. Come on, let's go back to the music room," she turned and began to walk away, "Hikaru probably wants to run somethi-"

"No!" A large hand tightly gripped (F/n)'s wrist. She turned around with a small squeak of surprise. Kyoya's grip was borderline bruising, and he looked very upset.

"Kyoya? Let go!"

He did, pulling away like he'd been burned, "I'm sorry, (F/n), but I cannot allow you to do that. I've help my tongue long enough."

"What?"

"I think you've kissed enough hosts now. No need to make it a rerun."

(F/n) frowned, "What are you talking about? Like I could even be _paid_ to kiss Hikaru again. _Yuck!_ And why do you care about that anyways?"

Kyoya turned away, attempting to walk past her, "That doesn't matter."

"Oh yes it does!" (F/n) grabbed the back of his jacket, forcing the boy to turn around, "Why'd you grab me like that? You've _never_ grabbed me that hard before!"

"I was unaware of my strength."

" _Bullshit!_ "

It's quiet. (F/n) watched as Kyoya stared out the nearby window, his hands clenching and un-clenching. There were still a few faint red lines from the ink he hadn't fully managed to scrub off of his skin, and every time he tightened his grip on air, the indents from the broken pen left on his palm twinged unhappily. (F/n) noted in the back of her mind how she could feel a few droplets of water clinging to her wrist, meaning Kyoya hadn't dried his hands before answering her knocking.

"Did…" she quickly looked up at his blank face, "Did you _feel_ anything when you kissed him?"

"Other than disgust? No. Why?"

"Was that your first kiss?"

More than a little irritated that he wasn't answering her own questions, (F/n) huffed, "I suppose so. But does it really count? I think stage kisses don't count."

Kyoya growled and rounded on her, "So, it _was_ your first kiss!"

"What are you- Didn't I just- What is _with_ you today? Why the hell do you care so much and you'd better answer me this time, Kyoya Ootori!"

"Oh, my goodness, you're worse than Haruhi!"

" _What_ are you _talking_ about?"

The two stared at each other, each looking angry at the other. One because she was confused, and the other because she was clueless.

"I can't believe you couldn't figure it out."

" _Excu_ -mph."

Kyoya crowded (F/n) against the wall and kissed her roughly. It was awkward. Noses bumped, Kyoya's glasses pressing harshly against both of their faces, and (F/n)'s lips remaining still in her shock as the boy laid claim to her lips. She mistakenly gasps aloud when she feels the cold excess water from his hands soak through the sides of her yellow uniform, and Kyoya takes advantage of her slip up. For four seconds, (F/n) is frozen in shock with a mouth full of Kyoya, staring straight ahead at his own eyes which are squeezed shut.

And then she kissed back.

It was unlike anything Kyoya had ever been able to dream of. Slowly, the kiss grew less awkward. (F/n)'s hands came up to lift his glasses away from his face before looping her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Their lips moved against each others in sync, tongues dancing cautiously around before (F/n) retreated, allowing for the thorough exploration of her mouth. Their eyes were both shut now, their holds on each other loosening but neither moving away.

Despite the quick beginning and ferocity of Kyoya's initial attack, the kisses begin to slow down. Kyoya retracts his tongue, parting from her lips for a brief second before going back in. (F/n) swapped his glasses to one hand, gently carding through the hairs along the back of his neck with her free fingers, enjoying the now feather-light brushes just as much as the hard press of their lips.

Eventually, even those slow to a stop and they pull away completely. The teenagers stare at each other, hearts racing in time and breaths puffing against each other's lips. (F/n) slowly places Kyoya's glasses back on his face, tucking a few newly loosened strands of hair behind his ears as she did so. It takes a minute before words even occur to either of them.

" _I don't think I'll be helping Hikaru with his kiss scenes anymore._ "

Kyoya chuckles and presses their foreheads together, lips twitching upwards in a soft smirk.

(*Bonus*)

Two girls are sipping tea and watching a tall blond boy shout and scream and cry about how ' _You defiled my precious girl, Kyoya!_ _How could you? What did I do wrong?_ ' The black haired male being shouted at is obviously not amused and looking ready to beat the French boy to death with his black journal. (F/n) and Haruhi share a glance before taking another sip of tea, the (h/c) licking at her still slightly kiss-swollen lips after she did so.

"(F/n)?"

"Mm?"

"I have to ask; did you really not know that Kyoya-senpai had a crush on you?"

"Yeah. I feel kind of stupid now, but he hid it well whenever I was around and paying attention. Still, considering I kissed every single host before him, I'm a little upset I didn't figure it out sooner."

Haruhi smiled slightly, "Well, technically, you haven't kissed _every_ host yet."

(F/n) looked at her smirking face and glanced at Kyoya out of the corner of her eye. He had heard their conversation and was now staring at the two of them with his lips pressed tightly together and his glasses glinting. Sort of a ' _Don't you dare_ ' kind of look. The left side of (F/n)'s mouth quirked up, hidden from his view. This would be an interesting way to get him away from Tamaki…

"You know what? I suppose you're right. Might as well collect the full set."

(F/n) leaned in to place a kiss on her friend's cheek, only to be pulled away from the couch and into a firm chest. A pair of lips pressed against hers to the sound of wolf whistles and a heartbreaking sob. Kyoya broke the kiss with a wet 'popping' sound before lifting his newly confirmed girlfriend into his arms. And with that, they ran from the room, Kyoya unable to not be amused with (F/n)'s idea of getting him away from his crazy best friend.

As the two raced down the hallway, Tamaki and the other hosts pursued them. Most of them were laughing, save for Tamaki who was crying out their names. (F/n) laughed loudly, calling out behind her, "Sorry, Haruhi! I think my boyfriend gets a little jealous!"

"KYOOOOOOYYYAAAAAAA!"

* * *

 **Well? What do you think? And before you get confused, yes, Tamaki thought the idea of Kyoya and Reader were cute... until it happened. Then he realized what that could me in the future. Especially when you both came back into the Music room with messy hair and swollen lips.**

 **Also, for anyone wondering where the 'Hikaru is in a play' thing came from, I have this strange headcanon that Hikaru would actually be very good as an actor in plays and musicals, while Kaoru would be in the back or helping the tech crew. I'm not quite sure where it came from, but I hope ya'll like it.**

 **If you like what you read, please favorite, follow, and review!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	5. How the Club Found Out

**Lots and lots of crap going on in my life right now and I'm so freaking stressed. So, since I have some time to kill before the one person who can help me gets here, I'm gonna post another quick chapter. Fair warning, this one dips into the implied M area, but there is absolutely nothing graphic in this story.**

 **Thank you to everyone who left supportive reviews for my last chapter! I really appreciate it!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own these guys.**

* * *

 **(F/n) = First name**

 **(L/n) = Last name**

 **(N/n) = Nickname**

 **(h/c) = Hair color**

 **(f/s) = Favorite sport**

 **(l/f/c) = Least favorite class**

 **(F/c) = Favorite color**

 **(N/c/o) = Name from country of origin (i.e Spaniard, Swede, American)**

 **You're a 2nd year student.**

 **How the Club found out**

 **(Or, the five times the Host Club walked in on (F/n) and Kyoya)**

1

Honey

It was early Autumn in Japan. Leaves were changing colors before the fall, the air turning crisp, and the students of Ouran Academy were still readjusting to the school schedule after a long summer vacation of doing nothing. Even Mitsukuni Haninozuka, otherwise known as Honey or Honey-senpai, slightly forgetful by nature, often forgot to grab some of his school supplies in his hurry to make it to his classes. Unfortunately for him, Takashi Morinozuka, his cousin, couldn't always spot what he had forgotten until it was too late. This lead to many borrowed pencils and a few late homework assignments here and there, but today was the first time Honey had actually forgotten his _textbook_.

The small blond boy was running back to Music Room 3 as fast as his little legs could carry him. His face burned with embarrassment and tears stung his eyes as he hurried through the empty halls. In his mind, he furiously reprimanded himself for forgetting his _Biology textbook_ for his _Biology class_.

 _At least Kobo-sensei let me go get it,_ he thought as he neared the double doors.

The door opened easily and silently at his touch and for a few seconds, Honey just stared into the darkness. The lights were off, the curtains drawn, and there was a gentle hum of a heater somewhere in the room. But for some reason, he wasn't scared. This dark was warm and comforting, very inviting for a nap. Honey's eyelids drooped. He felt incredibly sleepy all of the sudden.

Shaking his head, he looked around the room for his missing book. Now was not the time to fall asleep. He had to find his textbook and get back to class before he got into serious trouble. Honey silently slipped into the room and made his way over to his and Takashi's usual spot, his black shoes making muffled taps on the artfully tiled floor.

He was quick to spot it underneath his host chair, right where he had left it during lunchtime. Making his way around the maze of tables and couches, Honey continued to fight off the tired feeling that was attempting to settle into his limbs. Why was the Music Room suddenly so cozy? Grabbing his book, Honey turned around…

And jumped a good three feet in the air.

The Boy-Lolita ducked behind his host chair and peeked out at the sight in front of him. As he slowly took in the scene, his eyes widened and he took in a sharp breath.

 _You're wrong,_ his brain told his eyes, _There's no way…_

 _Shut up and believe us,_ his eyes screamed back, _this is actually happening!_

Laying down on one of the couches, out of sight from the door and out cold, was none other than Kyoya Ootori. The 5'11" boy was a bit too tall to lay comfortably on the couch, but he seemed to manage well enough by gently propping his head up on one of the armrests. His silver glasses dangled from his left fingertips off the side of the couch, a small gust of wind the only thing necessary to send them to the floor.

But finding Kyoya asleep in the Music Room wasn't even the most surprising part.

The part that sent Honey scampering was when he saw (N/n)-chan fast asleep on Kyo-chan's chest!

For a few moments Honey couldn't do anything but stare, frozen in place, at his two friends. His brain just _wouldn't comprehend_ what he was seeing. As he watched, Kyoya shifted in his sleep, his glasses slipping from his grip and clattering to the floor, thankfully not breaking. Honey let out a squeak of terror and ducked behind the furniture once again. He peered around the side of the chair and watched Kyoya drape his right arm over (F/n)'s back, cuddling her closer to him. She smiled in her sleep and nuzzled into his chest.

Once Honey was sure that the two were still fast asleep, he slowly stood back up. Inching closer to their sleeping forms, he noted how calm the scene before him was. Kyoya was never this relaxed around anyone else. And now that he thought about it, Honey _had_ noticed the two of them drawing closer for the past couple months. A huge smile broke out on Honey's face.

And that's when (F/n) opened her eyes.

She blinked a few times before focusing on Honey. The two stared at each other for a moment or two and Honey's mind went blank with fear. Was she upset? Would she wake up Kyoya?

As these terrifying scenarios spiraled through the Boy-Lolita's brain, (F/n) tilted her head to look up at Kyoya's peaceful face. When she looked back at Honey, he relaxed when he saw a smile gracefully curving the girl's lips. Raising one finger to her lips, she winked at her friend before closing her eyes once again.

Honey quietly tip-toed out of the room and walked back to his classroom. _So, they're keeping quiet with their relationship, huh?_ _How 'forbidden romance'!_ Honey felt a thrill of excitement and happiness at his thoughts. Now that the possibility was reality, it seemed a whole lot more plausible. If that made any sense.

 _But I suppose they want to keep their relationship out of the public eye. Kyo-chan wouldn't want any of the girls at the club becoming upset, even if those two are SO CUTE! But I can't tell anyone. Right. (N/n)-chan is trusting me. I can keep this secret!_ Honey stopped walking when a scary thought hit him.

 _Uh oh, maybe I_ can't _keep this secret…_

 _How am I going to keep this from_ Takashi _?_

2

Mori

Mitsukuni has been acting odd lately.

Not necessarily a bad kind of odd; more like he knew something that made him really happy, he just wouldn't tell anyone what it was. Now, sometimes he gets like this. Such as when he ordered a special birthday cake for Haruhi. But the really strange part was that whatever was making him happy, he hadn't told me about it.

He never keeps secrets from me. Ever. Our family's knew it, our friends, and even strangers would find out one way or another. Christmas presents and surprise parties were complete busts. We knew about exam scores, crushes, and secrets to be withheld from every other person on the planet. This new secrecy between the two of us made me uncomfortable and more than a little upset. What had I done to make him keep things from me?

I tried to tell myself that he was just waiting for the right time to tell me. Maybe it was a surprise for me and he was trying to make it work for once? If so, then he'd crack under the pressure soon enough and explain the whole deal and apologize over and over for hiding things from me. All I had to do was wait. So, for almost a whole month I kept quiet on the subject and pretended to ignore the way he would smile into empty space from time to time.

After a while, my curiosity was off the charts. Was it a girl? No, he'd have told me if he had a crush, surely. Cake? Nope. He's had cake for forever, and even the really delicious ones (F/n) baked for him hadn't had this continuous effect on him before. For four weeks I held my tongue (albeit easily) and waited patiently for the day when he would finally spill… but it never came.

Finally, I couldn't take it any longer.

"Mitsukuni." My cousin looked up at me from his cafeteria seat with a big smile.

"Yes, Takashi?"

"You've been keeping secrets from me." Oops. I had meant to show just a little more tact, but this secret of his has been killing me for this past month. Besides, I'm not really good at this whole talking thing.

Mitsukuni's face slowly fell to a sad, yet pleading look, "I can't tell you Takashi. I'm sorry."

I suck in a quick breath. Okay, that hurt. It's one thing for Mitsukuni to hide something from me, but it's something else entirely for him to refuse me an answer when I asked a question. I stood up abruptly and walked out of the lunchroom, ignoring Mitsukuni calling me back and the questioning looks being sent my way.

As I walked, I seethed internally. What secret could possibly be so important that Mitsukuni wouldn't trust _me_ with it? Who would tell him not to tell me? And even if they did, why would he listen to them? Does Mitsukuni just not trust me anymore in general?

I look up to find myself outside of Music Room 3. A possibly more rational part of my brain must've subconsciously led me here. Good. I need a quiet place to think and sort out my feelings before returning to Mitsukuni's side. Still scowling deeply, I burst through the doors, too angry and frustrated to keep my strength in check. I look up and prepare myself to shout at anyone still in the room to _get out now_ …

...and I stopped dead in my tracks, the words dying in my throat.

There were only two other people in the room. (F/n) and Kyoya were sitting on one of the couches, back to back. (F/n) had her headphones over her ears with her head bobbing to the music and Kyoya had his laptop propped open on his lap.

They were holding hands.

Kyoya looked up at me, "Mori-senpai? Is there something wrong?" His voice is even and calm, but he tightens his grip on (F/n)'s hand. I notice because I can't do anything but stare at their interlocking fingers, unable to form a complete sentence in my head. (F/n) notices that I'm in the room and pulls her headphones off to rest around her neck.

"Hm..? Oh, hi Mori-kun! What are… uh, Mori? Are you okay?" Slowly, I nod and back out of the room, shutting the doors quietly and yet firmly. I stare at the door for a moment, then whip it open once again. (F/n) and Kyoya are still staring at me. And their fingers are still entwined.

I shut the door and stare at the white wood for a few minutes. Then my feet start moving on autopilot again. I don't realize where I'm heading until I end up back in the cafeteria. I sit down next to Mitsukuni and he looks up at me, apologetically.

"Takashi? I'm sorry for keeping secrets from you. I should be able to trust you with my secret. If you still want to know…" I hold up a hand and he stops talking.

"No need. I know." Mitsukuni looks confused for a second, then his eyes light up.

"You mean…" I nod. "And they…" I nod again. Honey grins mischievously, "I knew that they'd get together."

I let the right side of my mouth lift up just a bit and look down at my cousin, "That's a lie."

"Yeah, it is a lie."

Mitsukuni starts giggling at his little joke, causing a small smile to crack along my face in response, "Mitsukuni? Why didn't you tell me in the first place?"

"Didn't you notice how they're only acting like a couple where there aren't any people? They want to keep it a secret. Now that we know, I think they just expect us to keep it as well. I didn't like not telling you about it, I just wanted to prove to (N/n)-chan and Kyo-chan that I could be trusted." He looked at me with determination shining in his brown eyes, "And I _did_. But now that you know too, we both have to keep the secret from everyone, even the rest of the club."

"Keep what from the club?" Oh god.

Mitsukuni and I turn over our shoulders to see the twins. They were leaning up against each other and staring at us, looking like they just won the lottery. Mitsukuni and I share a glance before looking back at the twins and pretended to zip our lips shut. The two gingers stare at us in surprise for a moment before identical evil smiles creep up their face.

Oh no…

3

Hikaru & Kaoru

The two twins were walking down the hallway to their lockers. It was lunch time and class had just gotten out, hundreds of students milling the hallways to reach the refractory or find their friends from other classes, but the two boys ignored them all. They had their heads close together, making every Fangirl they came across squeal in approval. But for once, they weren't performing their twincest act.

" _Hikaru, what on Earth could Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai be hiding? It's driving me crazy not knowing!_ "

" _It's cute how you sound like I'd know. We've been following those two around for two_ months _and have absolutely nothing to show for it… I'm starting to think maybe the secret they're hiding has nothing to do with those two at all_."

" _What are you talking about?_ "

" _I dunno, maybe they know a secret about someone else?_ "

" _Who then?_ "

"Hika-kun! Kao-kun!" At the sound of their names, the twins turn over their shoulders with a bored 'Hmm?'. It sounded to them like a Fangirl trying to get their attention outside of the host club. To say the least, they were pleasantly surprised to see a happy (F/n) hurrying to catch up with them instead of a crazy stalker. When the (h/c) girl bounced to a stop next to them, the twins rested their elbows on her shoulders.

"Geez (F/n)-senpai, you need to stop being so happy," Hikaru teased her. A cute puzzled look appeared on (F/n)'s face and she did that adorable tilt of her head like she always does when she's confused.

"Yeah, you sounded like a crazy Fangirl! Tone it down," Kaoru chuckled. When (F/n) realized what they were talking about, she laughed out loud. The twins joined in; they loved her laugh.

When her laughter died away, (F/n) smiled at the redheads, "Sorry guys. I just need some help and was excited to see someone I knew."

"What do you need?"

"I went to the gym so I could practice with my (f/s) equipment, but there's no room for me with the bleachers still out! I don't understand the electronic system to put them away and I was too scared to experiment…" The twins smiled and looped their arms through hers.

"We'll help you out, (F/n)-senpai."  
"Yeah, just think of us as your knights in shining armor." (F/n) scoffed, but she still had a big smile on her face as the three made their way to the school's gymnasium.

Once the trio arrived at the gym, the twins immediately see (F/n)'s problem. The entire floor was covered with equipment for a kickball game, leaving no open spot for her to practice with her (f/s) equipment. Although (F/n) was too busy to actually participate in her favorite sport here at Ouran, she still practiced as often as she could. And she was still very good.

The twins walk over to one of the bleachers before releasing the girl between them and grabbing the dangling remote. The remote for tucking the polished metal bleachers into the wall was covered in flashing buttons and multicolored switches and dials. The two of them had no idea what any of them did. There weren't even any little helpful words under the levers. All in all, this remote was not for student use. The two boys looked at each other before glancing over at (F/n)'s pleading face.

They smiled at her reassuringly.

"You can just mess around for a while (F/n)-senpai," Hikaru said.

"We'll take care of this," Kaoru promised.

She relaxed and grinned before wrapping the two up in a hug, "Thank you!" And with that, she bounces away to find something to entertain her. The twins stare off after her for a few seconds. (F/n) _might_ be a naturally happy person, but she's never really been this… bubbly before. She was definitely laughing more often and she gave out hugs like it was her job. Sure, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing, as the twins really liked it when their friends were happy, especially (F/n), who didn't exactly have it made here being an exchange student and all.

But still, something felt… off with how cheerful she was being.

The twins started fiddling with the dials, trying to make the bleachers move back into their slot in the wall. Instead, the lights around the gym flickered and a few basketball hoops lowered here and there. But they still went through each and every button while also keeping their eyes on (F/n), trying to work out what could possibly invoke the strange behavior she's been displaying all day.

Actually, all week if they really thought about it. Possibly even longer.

(F/n) wandered over to the pull up bar and looked at it. She seemed to contemplate something before grabbing the metal pole. Kaoru stopped pressing buttons altogether, thoroughly confused. (F/n) had specifically told him and Hikaru how, despite all her years in (f/s), she still could not muster the strength for even one pull up. So what on Earth could she possibly be doing?

After testing her grip on the metal, (F/n) put her right foot against the wall and 'walked' up the bricks. After her feet were just about level with her head, she hooked her legs over the bar. (F/n) shifted until the bar was snugly hooked under her knees and then let go of the metal. Her upper body swung down and she grabbed her shoes, now hanging upside down, and she gave the twins a smile.

They stared at (F/n) for a moment before smirking at each other. They'd have to try that someday.

A door opened and a relieved voice echoed across the gymnasium, "Oh, here you are. I've been looking all over for you!"

The twins look at the gym doors to see Kyoya standing in the doorway, his black book tucked under his right arm and his school bag in his left hand. He nodded in the twin's direction but made a beeline for (F/n), who was still hanging upside down. The (h/c) didn't seem at all phased by Kyoya's sudden appearance. If anything, she seemed pleased.

"Hey, Kyo-chan!" Kaoru stared at the girl like he was picking out the flowers for her upcoming funeral, which he was. Hikaru didn't do anything, but he started listening closely and wondered if it would be an opened or a closed casket funeral. Both boys were thinking the same thing, as always; it was one thing for (F/n) to use the '-kun' suffix for the members of the host club, but a different thing altogether for her to use '-chan' with Kyoya. They'd never heard her say his name like that. How would the Shadow King react?

The twins had a pretty good idea and they braced themselves for the blood spatter...

But Kyoya merely chuckled, "I see you're practicing _very_ hard, (N/n)-chan." Hikaru choked on his spit and Kaoru gaped shamelessly at the two.

Unaware of the twin's reactions, (F/n) reached out and poked Kyoya's chest, "Hey, calm down 'Mr. Sarcastic'. In case it has escaped your attention, I have no floor space to practice. The twins are trying to put the bleachers away as we speak."

Kyoya glances at the twins out of the corner of his eye for a split second before looking back down at (F/n)'s upside-down face, "...You could have asked me for help. I know how to work the controls." The twins look at each other, their eyebrows creased in thought. Kyoya sounded almost offended.

(F/n) pouts, "I couldn't find you! I swear I looked for 10 minutes, but you weren't in your usual spot at the library. Or anywhere else for that matter! Tamaki didn't even know where you were!"

"I had an emergency phone call to take."

"Like that's my fault?"

There were two seconds of just silence until Kyoya spoke up again, "Hikaru? Kaoru?" The twins did their best to not look like they'd been staring at the two for the past minute and a half. Kyoya is eyeing them from across the gym, his face empty of emotion.

"The red lever. Move it all the way up." The boys exchange a glance before shrugging and flipping the red metal to the top of the remote. Immediately, something makes a quiet grinding noise. The two are relieved for a second, until they realize the bleachers next to them haven't moved and (F/n) lets out a shriek.

The pull up bar she was on started lifting her higher.

"Kyoya! What did you do? Kyoya, no! Guys, stop it!" The twins try to pull the lever back down, but it won't budge. There's a new red light next to the lever. 'Wait for twenty seconds'. The two look at (F/n), who has thankfully stopped moving but she was still a long way off the ground. She's now a few inches away from being face to face with Kyoya.

"Put me down, please!"

Kyoya smirks, "Very well. I'll bring you back down… if you apologize." The twins watch, interested. Kyoya's voice was low and sounded almost… teasing. Playful, even. (F/n)'s face was flushed and she looked away towards the wall. Kaoru opened his mouth to tell her she'd be let down in about ten more seconds regardless of her apologizing or not. But before he could, (F/n) leaned forward…

...and kissed Kyoya.

Kaoru's jaw snapped shut while Hikaru's fell slack. They watched in shock and awe as Kyoya didn't even hesitate to drop his bag and _toss aside_ _his precious black book_ in favor of tilting (F/n)'s head to her right and deepen their kiss. He slowly stroked her cheeks with more tenderness and affection than the twins had seen him handle anything else. The two couldn't tear their eyes away from the couple that seemed almost glued together at the mouth.

After an eternity, the two parted, panting heavily.

"Hikaru? The lever?" Hikaru's hand moved automatically at Kyoya's command and flicked the small lever down. Once the bar was at its original height, (F/n) hopped down to the floor. She stumbled a bit, probably suffering from head-rush, and Kyoya wrapped his arms around her to keep her on her feet. She relaxed into Kyoya's arms and leaned her back against him, thankful for the support.

Kyoya sighed, "I told you to stop hanging upside down for extended periods of time. It's not good for you."

"Aw, come on! That time was your fault!"

He chuckled, "Oh please, I know how you get down from that position. That extra distance was nothing."

(F/n) looked away, embarrassed, "You distracted me."

"I'm sorry," Kyoya leaned in closer, breath puffing against the side of her neck, "I thought you _liked_ it when I distracted you…"

(F/n) rolled her eyes, but her cheeks burned red anew, "Well, yes. When I'm doing things like homework and you want to spend time with me."

Kyoya spun her around and pressed their foreheads together, " _And what if this is the time I wish to spend with you?_ "

(F/n) smiled and looped her arms around his neck, "Then that changes everything. Proceed." Their lips brushed once again and that was the drawing line for the twins.

"OUR EYES! THEY BURN!" The twins race out of the gym screaming in terror. They stumbled over their own two feet, frantically scrambling through doorways and now empty hallways. Even so, they had large smiles plastered to their faces as they ran.

(*(Back in the gym)*)

(F/n) pried Kyoya's lips off of hers to holler 'Tell no one!' at the twin's retreating backs. As she did so, Kyoya buried his face into the crook of his girlfriend's neck and placed soft, gentle kisses up and down the skin there. She lets out a shaky breath and pulls his lips back to hers. They stand like that for a while, holding each other as close as possible.

Finally, the two parted for longer than one second. (F/n)'s hair was a mess and so was Kyoya's, but neither of them really cared.

"You know they're going to tell Haruhi the second they see her, right?"

"Yes."

"And… you're okay with this? Keeping our relationship quiet for this long _was_ your idea in the first place."

"Haruhi won't believe them. She's especially skeptical by nature. And besides, I wanted to keep the secret because of Tamaki. You know how he'll react when he finds out…" Kyoya let that threat hang in the air for a moment.

(F/n) smirked, "So, now that my helpers have fled the scene, will you help me put away the bleachers?"

"If it benefits me."

"...You're not going to let me practice today, are you?"

"Nope."

"Shut up and come here then."

4

Haruhi

"Stop wasting my time, you two! For the last time: I do not believe you!" Irritated and fuming, I slapped my phone shut and threw it on my bed. Grabbing my backpack and yanking all my homework out, I seethed. _Those two are ridiculous! Did they really expect me to fall for that?_

All day the twins have been trying to convince me that Kyoya-senpai and (F/n)-senpai were dating. That was the third time they've called me in the past hour! Did they really think I was that naive? I mean, Kyoya? Dating? Pul-lease! And besides, I know (F/n). I highly doubt she'd date someone so drastically different from her; like Kyoya.

Now, don't get me wrong, they're both great people and really amazing friends… I'm just not sure they'd be all that compatible. He's cold, she's warm. He's strict, she's lax. He's unapproachable, she's friendly. He's stiff, she's flexible. He has a short fuse, her's is a mile long. They have absolutely nothing in common!

Wait… scratch that last comment. I suppose that's not entirely true.

I mean, for example, they're both book-smart and street-smart, though not at the same level and not necessarily to the same degree. They also tend to help the most when you don't think they're listening. They're very defensive of their friends and what they think is right. And even though they're both extremely different people, everyone had noticed the two of them growing closer and closer for the past three months...

 _You know what? They might make a good couple…_

I stop unpacking my backpack and think that sentence over again in my head. _Kyoya… and (F/n). Kyoya and (F/n), together. Dating. They'd… actually make a_ very _good couple._

"Huh." I sit on the floor and stare at nothing, really mulling it over. Now that I'm truly thinking about it, I guess the whole concept of it isn't really that terrifying or unreachable. But, unfortunately, those two share one more quality; stubbornness. If those two are in love and don't want to admit it, they'll both deny it until their dying days. I sigh in defeat. _What a shame; they'd be good for each other._

"Haruhi? Could you help me find my keys?" I poke my head out of my room to see a steady flow of clothes being thrown out of my dad's room.

"Sure, Dad." I keep my mind on the whole (F/n)/Kyoya possibility while I look in the couch cushions. _I wonder if anyone else has realized this... except for the twins obviously. Wait, why am I even really thinking about this? When was the last time I let myself get swept up in the concept of a romance between two different people?_

A car door slams out in the parking lot and my head lifts. I assume it's (F/n). She's been seeing a tutor for a few months now to help her with her (l/f/c) class. I walked to the door but stop myself just before I open it. _I can't say anything about her and Kyoya. I might make a mess of things instead of helping if I say the wrong thing at the wrong time._ Taking a deep breath in, I'm about to open the door and talk to (F/n), like I always do. But I stop. There's a boy's voice outside.

It's… _Kyoya's_ voice. And… is he…is that Kyoya _laughing?_

"I swear I'm not joking!"

"Yes you _are_! There's no way that's true!" (F/n). She's laughing too.

"No, he really looked me in the eye and _asked_!"

"How could anyone mistake you for _Tamaki?_ "

"I don't know!" The two of them are laughing loud and full, a sound I've never heard from Kyoya's lips. They pass by my door in the direction of (F/n)'s apartment. As I hear (F/n) pulling her keys out, I silently turn the door handle and inch the front door open just a crack. I'm so happy our living room light went out earlier today. There's no line of light to give away the opened door, meaning those two don't even know they're being watched.

Peeking out of the crack I saw, with my own eyes, Kyoya smiling widely at (F/n) as she unlocked her front door. Kyoya's right arm is wrapped around her waist.

 _Holy cow!_

I watched as (F/n) got her door open and Kyoya's smile dipped. He withdrew his arm from her waist and stuffed his hand in his pocket. For once, Kyoya wasn't wearing a nice tux or the school uniform. Instead he had on a black and red sweatshirt over a simple black t-shirt, a pair of dark blue jeans and his black shoes. He dresses like a commoner pretty well.

(F/n) was wearing her favorite t-shirt, light blue jeans and her (f/c) converse shoes. She turned to face Kyoya and her smile dipped as well when she saw his expression.

Kyoya spoke first, "Well, I hope you enjoyed dinner."

"It was amazing," (F/n) stepped closer and poked Kyoya on the tip of his nose, "Like you."

He chuckled and wrapped his arms around (F/n)'s waist, pulling her into his chest and shook his head, "You've been taking some of Tamaki's lines. I request you stop hanging around with him for a few days for your immune system to flush them out." Kyoya leaned his head down and pressed his forehead against hers.

"I don't think he'd stand for that."

Kyoya chuckled weakly, "True. Well, goodnight (F/n)." He pressed his lips to hers in a brief kiss before making to pull away.

But before he could do so, (F/n) sighed and locked her arms around Kyoya's neck, "I don't suppose you've been getting my subtle hints, have you?" Kyoya narrows his eyes in confusion and opens his mouth, but whatever he was going to say is cut off.

I watch, eyes wide and mouth open, as the two kiss passionately, slowly pulling each other even closer. Kyoya walked (F/n) backwards until she was pressed up between him and the wall of the complex. I squeeze my eyes shut for three seconds and open them again. They're still there, but they've parted and are smiling stupidly at each other.

"So, are you going to tell me what you've been trying to hint about all evening?"

"Do you want to spend the night?" Kyoya chuckled, ducking his face into the crook of (F/n)'s neck. I can barely hear him as he questioned his gentlemanly appearance if he accepted her offer as he slowly tilted his head until I couldn't see his lips. I tried to not think about it, but I could imagine what he was doing now if (F/n)'s sudden shiver and red face meant anything.

"W-we're not going to… y-you know. Not yet. But I would like to fall asleep next to my boyfriend and not be woken up needlessly or worry about someone seeing us."

Kyoya pulls his face out from the crook of her neck and smirks down at her, "Well, we don't have school tomorrow, so lead the way."

(F/n) grins slyly and grabs Kyoya by his shirt collar to pull him down into another messy kiss. I kind of want to look away -I know _I_ wouldn't want someone watching me while I was snogging my boyfriend (a term I've heard (F/n) use before that accurately described what my friends were engaged in at the moment)- but at the same time it's like I can't. Thankfully for my sanity (F/n) was quick to walk backwards into her apartment, tugging Kyoya along after her by his shirt. He goes willingly.

As her door shuts, I shut mine as well. Reaching up with my left hand, I pinch my arm. Nope. Not having some messed up dream.

"Haruhi? I found my keys! They were in my pocket the… What's wrong?" I turn to look at my dad.

"Kyoya-senapi and (F/n)-senpai are dating."

Dad's quiet for a moment before he laughs, "Oh, that! I know."

"...What?"

"I figured it out when they started, oh, about five months ago in June. Perhaps longer." I feel faint. _Five months?_

Dad continues, "I was on my way home from work when I saw them on their first date. They went out for ice cream if I recall correctly. I stopped to talk to them and give them my congratulations. They weren't upset that I was there, but they did ask me to not tell you or anyone else they were dating. They weren't sure back then if their relationship would last, and if it didn't they'd both be able to remain friends afterwards. But only if they didn't have people around them looking at the two of them like they were wounded."

"B-but… why are they not hiding it as much anymore?"

Dad smiled, "Isn't it obvious? They're in love! They're not going to break up any time soon, so why bother hiding it? Oh, I just love how… wait." He looks at me in confusion, "How did you find out?"

"Uh… they just finished their date."

"They're here? Do you think they'd mind if I…" he reaches for the doorknob but I stop him.

"NO! Uh… they're not outside. They're… uh… in (F/n)'s apartment. And I don't think they're leaving until tomorrow." My dad looks at me, alarmed. "No, no, no, (F/n) told him they're weren't going to do anything like that. I think she just wanted to cuddle until they both fell asleep. Besides, Kyoya's not that kind of guy."

He relaxes, "Oh! Those two are so cute! I can't wait until their relationship really comes out into the open! Can you imagine how your other little friends at the Host Club would react?"

"Oh, I think the twins already know. Probaby Mori-senpai and Honey-senpai, too. But I don't know about," I froze, "Oh no."

"What?"

"Tamaki-senpai. He doesn't know yet, or he'd be all over those two."

"Hm. And are you going to be the one to tell him?"

5

Tamaki

I lounged in my chair in Music Room 2. Kyoya and (F/n) had kicked the rest of the host club out of our usual room to discuss something important. They'd been going over our expenses and must've found something out of order, because the next thing I knew the six of us had been ushered out by a persistent Kyoya and left to find another homework spot for the rest of the lunch period.

I was bored. Haruhi was focused on her homework and I didn't want to bother her, and Kyoya wasn't nearby to talk to. So, I started thinking about my best friend and the girl he'd been spending increasing amounts of time with.

(F/n). Now that was one well rounded lady, and a total sweetheart. Slowly I started thinking about all the desirable qualities she possessed. I myself didn't feel anything towards the (h/c) that wasn't platonic, but I started to think about someone else who might have a bit of a stronger attachment to the (N/c/o). Someone who enjoyed her company above anyone else's…

An idea struck me and I shot up from my chair. Immediately, all eyes are on me.

"Men, we need to discuss something."

"Yeah, Boss?" I looked out over the five host members present. How to proceed? Perhaps I should just say it.

"I've been thinking about this for a while now, and I think it's time that we brought Kyoya and (F/n) together." I smiled at my audience. Surely after they thought on it for a few moments, they'd all see how perfect those two would be. In a nutshell, they were two opposites who were so alike that they'd fit together better than any relationship I've seen at this school. A match made in heaven.

The five members exchanged glances with each other before looking back at me, unimpressed. Not exactly the reaction I was expecting.

The twins answered first, "Forget it, boss."

Honey turns away to play with Usa-chan, "You can count me out."

Mori-senpai just shakes his head no.

I turn to Haruhi, almost desperately. Surely she was close enough to her feminine side by now to see that Kyoya and (F/n) would be good for each other. Instead, she looks at me with something like… pity.

"Senpai, I understand you like to make girls happy, and your friends too, but just let this one go. It won't be worth your time." I feel tears about to pour down my cheeks, but then I notice something. The five of them are… suppressing smiles. I narrow my eyes at them.

"Is there something you five aren't telling me?"

"If you don't already know, then never mind." The twins are grinning deviously at each other. That tears it. They know something, but aren't telling me. Very well. I'll just go to the source.

"Fine. Then I'll just… go." The five other hosts switch their attention back to me and track my movements as I walk to the door.

"Senpai… where are you going?"

I open the door, turn to look at them calmly, then slam the door shut and start running down the hallway back to Music Room 3. Behind me, the doors burst open again, the other hosts giving chase. But they're too late.

I kick the doors open into Music Room 3, ready to shout at the top of my lungs for Kyoya and (F/n) to just kiss already, but the room is empty. What the…

The twins tackle me from behind, sending the three of us sprawling out across the floor, the two of them crushing the air out of my lungs. In an instant, they loop their arms underneath my armpits and start dragging me out of the room.

"Okay boss…"

"Let's get you out of here." They're speaking to me as if I was an escaped mental patient.

"What are you talking about? Why do we have to leave? This room is empty! Where'd they go? Did they ditch us?"

"That's what they want us to think, but the rest of us figured it out pretty quickly." As they continue pulling me away, Honey-senpai bounds past the three of us towards a small closet on the side of the room. The doorknob has an Ouran tie tied to it. What?

Honey knocks on the door, "You guys have about twenty minutes to finish up and make yourselves decent before class. We're going now!" My eyes widen. No… no way... it's not possible...

As my feet move from one tile pattern to another, Hikaru calls out loudly, "And Kyoya?"

"Be gentle!" Kaoru adds with a cackle.

From the closet, Kyoya's loud and angry voice booms, "JUST GET THE HELL OUT!" I can hear (F/n) laughing from somewhere deep within the same closet. Oh God… My mouth falls open as everyone else bolts out of the room. Mori slams the doors shut and silence once again overtakes the hallway. Hikaru and Kaoru stand me up in front of the group and back away.

"Tamaki-senpai?"

"You can't tell anyone."

"And don't confront them either."

"...Are you okay?"

I can hardly stand, "Mommy's been keeping secrets from Daddy?" They look at each other, then nod.

"Kyoya's dating (F/n)?" Another nod.

" _And Kyoya's tie on the doorknob… that means what I think it means, right?_ " The twins grin evilly before they all nod once more.

I nod in response, "How long?"

"How long have they been dating-"

"-or how long have they been doing the horizontal tango?" Haruhi squeaks and covers her face with her hands, her red cheeks visible through her fingers. Mori clapped his hands over Honey's ears before Kaoru even spoke, but his face was red as well.

My voice is a little strangled, "The first one, please."

"It's been… mmm… probably seven months."

"Or is it seven and a half now? They started dating in June just before summer vacation started, so there might be two more weeks added in there..." Kaoru muses. I fall over backwards and lay on the cold floor tiles. Kyoya's been dating (F/n) for _seven months and he hasn't told me?_

"But we've got a question for the rest of you."

"We told Haruhi and she didn't believe us, so how'd you guys find out?"

"I walked in on them napping together."

"They were holding hands. You?"

"He made her kiss him as an apology…"

"...right in front of us."

I wait for the last one, but it doesn't come. Worried, I lift my head up, "Haruhi?"

The brunette is still a dark red color as she responds, "I saw the end of one of their dates. My dad told me that he knew ever since it started. (F/n) also pulled him into her apartment for the night. But that was almost two months ago, I don't think they did… anything."

"No, they waited until last week."

I quickly covered my ears, "LALALALA! I'M NOT LISTENING! LALALALA~!"

Bonus

Renge

I checked the clock. It looks like the host club would be in full swing by now. This feels like a good time to give them their weekly check-up. Ever since the host club had followed Haruhi from Japan and started attending college, Tamaki has been attempting to restart the club, and only recently has he succeeded.

It had been a little odd with one of the hosts being a girl and two of the boys being in steady relationships, but so far it's been running smoothly. I smile, recalling when both sets of couples had officially gone public a few years ago. Kyoya and (F/n) hadn't even been a surprise, considering when they had made the announcement they had already been in a relationship for almost a full year.

I mean, really? Only people without _eyes_ wouldn't have been able to figure that out!

My motor powered up and I spun out of the ground, forgoing my usual laugh of arrival. This was just a check-up, no need to announce myself. Stepping off my pedestal, I roamed around the room, making sure things were running smoothly.

Hikaru was feeding Kaoru cake with just his fingers. Tamaki was charming the ladies, as always. Haruhi was flattering the girls on their new hairstyles. Mori and Honey were being their usual selves. And Kyoya was working on his laptop, but seemed to be answering some questions from a couple girls around him. Since he was smiling slightly, I assume the questions were about him and (F/n). Or maybe just (F/n).

Speaking of which, where is she?

I spun in a circle, but couldn't see the club's Baker Girl. Making my way over to the kitchen I poked my head in and saw the (h/c) sitting at the table, making beautiful frosting designs on the cakes. I swept my gaze around the kitchen. Did she… _make_ the frosting herself? Actually, I suppose that doesn't seem too crazy of an idea. She is amazing when it comes to food.

But still, she should be out serving tea. The customers are going to worry about where she is if she doesn't get out there!

"(F/n)? What are you doing in here? I haven't seen you deliver any cakes or tea all day! The customers are going to worry if you don't get out there!" (F/n) jumps and looks at me, startled by my appearance and squeezing the frosting bag tightly. Vanilla frosting oozed out of the tip and all over her left hand. She quickly stood up and walked over to the faucet, cleaning off her hand.

"Renge? I-"

"Hold on." I had just noticed something was on her hand. Her left hand. I snatched it out from under the running water and stared, my eyes widening.

Sparkling in the sunlight coming in through the window was a beautiful diamond ring. It wasn't huge and gaudy, but neither was it anything to sneeze at. It was simple and elegant, and just so _her_. Small sapphires were implanted a small ways down the band on either side of the diamond, and the blues sparkling through the diamond in amazing displays.

"(F/i)-(F/n)?"

"Renge?"

"Did… did Kyoya _propose_?" (F/n) smiled and nodded. A huge smile spread across my face. I screamed and hugged her tightly, spinning the girl in circles around the kitchen. Words just kept falling out of my mouth, uncontrollably.

"Ohmygoshohmygosh _ohmygoshwhoelseknowscanItellthemwhendidthishappenhow'dhepopthequestionIwannaplantheweddingwhenareyougettingmarriedyourkidsaregonnabesocutewhereareyougoingtolivejust...AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH(F/N)!"_

"RENGE!"

I stop spinning and released the girl, causing her to stumble sideways into the countertop. Oops... I guess I'd made her a little dizzy. Kyoya, of course, chose that moment to come walking into the kitchen.

"(N/n)-chan!" He's at her side immediately, back of his hand pressed against her forehead, "Are you alright? I thought I heard screaming! Did you cut yourself or hit your head?"

(F/n) softly batted at his hand, "Everything's okay, Kyo-chan. Renge just got a little overexcited about something. I got a little dizzy. You can stop being a mother hen, now." He sighed in fond exasperation and kissed her temple. I couldn't handle it.

"IT'S SO PRECIOUS HOW YOU CARE FOR YOUR FIANCÈE!"

There is absolute silence in the club for a few seconds before half of the guests are crowding the doorway. They see the close proximity of (F/n) and Kyoya and begin screaming in joy. The two lovebirds look at each other and have a silent conversation. Looking vaguely displeased, Kyoya pushes his way through the crowd and into the larger room, gently pulling (F/n) along behind him.

They reach a couch turn to face the group, "The host club is now closed for the day. Please vacate the premises or you will be forcibly removed." Despite the threat, the girls are in a good mood when they flood out the door, still gossiping among themselves. Once the doors boom shut, the only people left in the room are Kyoya, (F/n), the rest of the hosts, and me.

The couple sits down on the couch, Kyoya on (F/n)'s left, "Well, we wanted to wait until club activities ended today before telling you all the news to ensure that the people we wanted to know knew before the school's rumor mill caught wind of it, but it would appear that option is no longer available thanks to Houshakuji-san here." I refused to feel embarrassed. This was big news! No way would I have been able to keep quiet about it!

"Gentlemen, friends, manager; (F/n) and I…" Kyoya grabs (F/n)'s left hand and holds it up, the ring catching the light, "...are engaged."

It was bedlam.

Tamaki burst into tears and crumbled to the floor, sporting a grin so wide it might lock his face up like that. Haruhi covered her mouth and screamed really high, totally out of character for her but it was cute in its own way. The twins were bouncing all over the place and hugging each other, screaming the word 'Finally' at the top of their lungs. Honey had his arms around Mori's arm and was shaking him while the two laughed in happiness. I couldn't help it. I started laughing and bouncing and crying too. The amount of love and support in this room was almost too much to handle.

"How'd he pop the question?"

(F/n) laughed while Kyoya blushed, "It was hilarious! He _wanted_ to take me to a fancy restaurant and propose there, but a fire broke out in the kitchen and we had to evacuate. I couldn't figure out why he was so upset! The two of us were walking back to my apartment when he steered me into the park for a 'quick stroll'. He tried to propose beside the pond, but out of nowhere _geese_ started chasing him!"

It took (F/n) a few moments to calm down enough to continue her story, "Anyways, we went back to my apartment and he prepared dinner. But…" she started laughing harder again, "He was so nervous about what he was about to do, I walked in on him about to add a whole cup full of salt into the soup he was making!

"After I saved dinner, I came out to see Kyoya lighting candles and just making the whole thing romantic. It was beautiful. About halfway through the meal, however, he started freaking out. Turns out, he was getting ready and stuffed his hand into his pocket, only to find out the ring box wasn't in there! He thought he'd lost the ring!

"So, here we are enjoyed a beautiful meal when he suddenly jumped up from his chair and started looking around the entire apartment. I asked him what he was doing, but all he would tell me was to stay seated until he found 'it'. I didn't listen. He was checking under the couch when I walked over to him. He didn't hear me, and when he pulled his head out from under the couch, he yelled and jumped backwards. The box fell out of his left jacket pocket and tumbled to a stop in front of my feet.

"I just stared at the blue velvet box on the floor as he walked over and went down on one knee to pick it up... and he stayed down there. And the rest is history."

We all laughed at the red blush on Kyoya's face, which darkened when (F/n) kissed his cheek. The twins couldn't take it any longer. They each grabbed themselves one half of the newly engaged couple and shook their shoulders, "When? When, when, when, when, when!?"

Kyoya pushed Hikaru off, but he was smiling too, "When we graduate, idiots."

(F/n) grabbed Kaoru's hands and pulled them off of her, grinning just as wide as the twin, "It'll probably be during the summer so we can invite you all _and_ my family as well."

"What's your plan after that?" Of course Haruhi would be the one to ask that question.

Kyoya moved his glasses further up the bridge of his nose, "Well, honeymoon wise, my parents have agreed to pay for a twelve day long vacation to anywhere we wish to go."

"Which is…" Haruhi pressed.

(F/n) smiled, "Walt Disney World. Kyo-chan's never been, and it's one of the most popular honeymoon destinations. We're only staying for about a week though, then we're going to visit my side of the family and celebrate with them."

The twins have a twinkling in their eyes, so (F/n) follows up with, "You're not coming."

"Aww…"

"But, (F/n)…"

"No. It's our honeymoon, and we shall be spending it _without_ the host club. But we'll send you lots of pictures." They seem okay with it, but Haruhi speaks up once again.

"What about living together?"

"Kyoya's moving in with me to my apartment next school year, and we'll both start saving up for an actual house and the like."

Honey bounced forward and jumped on (F/n)'s lap, "Kids?"

The couple blushed. Kyoya cleared his throat, "Maybe in a few years. As of right now, not an option."

"But you do want kids, don't you (N/n)-chan?"

"Well, yes, I do and so does Kyoya, but we're not going to be trying anytime soon. Once we're financially stable, then definitely." Honey nods and jumps off her lap.

The twins grin wickedly, "Really? We would've thought differently considering what you get into when you're _alone_ …"

(F/n) cut them off, ducking behind a curtain of hair, "There is such a thing as birth control, idiots!" Her face is incredibly red, but she still smiles when the rest of the club laughs.

Kyoya smiles and tucks a strand of hair behind (F/n)'s ear, "It may be a long ways into the future, but it's smart to have a plan of sorts. However, the wedding is a good deal closer. We really need to start planning for that first. Starting with…" Kyoya looks at Tamaki and raises his eyebrow in question, "Best man?"

Tamaki tackled Kyoya off the couch in a teary hug despite his friend's protests. (F/n) laughed aloud and watched in amusement, fiddling happily with the ring on her finger.

"Happy endings for all, I guess."

* * *

 **'CUZ I'M A SAP!**

 **I really liked writing this story. Especially the twin part when they were freaking out every time Reader-chan and Kyoya flaunted their relationship. There are also a few of my little Ouran tropes going on here, including Kyoya having an especially rough time trying to propose to his girlfriend. It just seems gut-busting funny! It wouldn't be as funny if it happened to Tamaki, because it's what you'd expect, but having all of Kyoya's plans slowly crumble in front of the person he wants to spend his life with? Freaking perfect!**

 **Anyways, I know some of the characters are a little OC-ish, and I apologize for that. But if you still liked it, please favorite, follow, and review!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	6. School Dance

**Okay, next chapter is up. Let me know what you all think of it, please!**

 **Thank you to queenglitch, drkm2000, and DarkPurpleTomBoy for your reviews. I really appreciate them!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any mention of OHSHC or its characters, which I would hope would be obvious. Anyways…**

* * *

 **(F/n) = First name**

 **(L/n) = Last name**

 **(e/c) = Eye color**

 **(h/c) = Hair color**

 **(N/c/o) = Name from country of origin (i.e. American, Spaniard, Swede, Dane, etc)**

 **(f/c) = Favorite class**

 **Small note, in this story, pretend you haven't had your first kiss yet.**

* * *

School Dance

A pair of (e/c) eyes watched the scene before them listlessly. Couples fluttered around the dance floor, girls smiling and giggling as the boys swung them across the tiles. Occasionally one of the boys would grin at the girl in his arms like she was the light of his world before twirling her around just to have the satisfaction of pulling her back in close.

(F/n) felt like she was going to be sick.

Her lips trembled and she quickly looked back at the tablecloth in front of her chair. _Don't do it. Don't you_ dare _cry. Don't let him know he actually hurt you…_

Sucking in a deep breath through a pair of pursed lips, the girl looked up again at the decorations around her, trying to get her mind off of her desire to punch a hole through the wall. It was beautifully done, with circular lamps hung above everyone's head as mood lighting, the only other sources coming from a string of lights around the edge of the dance hall and the candle at every table.

(F/n) managed to have the luck of claiming one table with her favorite scent, which helped to sooth her nerves and dull her anger. The flickering flame slowly brought her heartrate down as well the longer she stared at it. Unfortunately, it also cleared her head enough to think long and hard about what exactly had gone down.

 _I should never have agreed to it. Why is it that whenever I choose to give someone a chance, they end up being an asshole? How could I have been so_ stupid?

Forcing her eyes away from the candle and back towards the center of the room, (F/n) had the very unfortunate opportunity to watch a boy with ash brown hair lead a blonde off the dance floor and towards the dessert buffet, both giggling stupidly.

(F/n) felt her heart clench up and she looked away, knowing it was stupid of her to feel like this, but she was having a hard time ignoring everything.

After all, when Kazumi Hishiyama had asked her to the 'Celebrating Summer' dance last week, this hadn't exactly been the evening she'd pictured. Since he tended to partner up with her in (f/c), she had assumed him asking her to the dance was his way of thanking her for all the times she pretty much saved his grade. And while school dances weren't _exactly_ her scene and she didn't _have_ to say yes… he was _kind_ of cute. And being an exchange student at a prestigious academy? She needed all the friends she could find.

 _Figures he was just using me to get back with his ex._

The anger reappeared and she glared at the two over her left shoulder. He was now feeding her small bites of cake, occasionally kissing the chocolate frosting off her lips. Quite passionately, too. Looking away before she was sick, (F/n) refocused in on the candle. No good would come from purposefully making herself throw up to have an excuse to leave; she might ruin her dress.

At the thought, a miniscule smile tugged at the (h/c)'s trembling lips. _At least one good thing came from tonight. I had a reason to wear a dress that doesn't make me feel like a banana creme puff._

She looked down at herself and felt a lot better, tiny smile widening a bit. _How_ Haruhi had managed to get her hands on such a stunning dress was beyond her understanding, so she hadn't questioned it. The clothing looked incredible on her, if she did say so herself. A single-sleeved dress that started black at the top, but the bottom separated into all the colors of a rainbow sunset.

When she'd first tried it on, Haruhi and Ranka had asked her to spin around so many times she almost succumbed to motion sickness. But it was hard to stop considering the skirt fanned out every time she turned and the full spectrum was revealed in a flash of colors. Heck, it even sparkled slightly in the dim lighting of the room.

And, as if (F/n) didn't already have enough to thank her neighbors for, Ranka had volunteered to do her hair and makeup, and did so _wonderfully_.

Her (h/c) hair had been brushed, gelled, curled, sprayed, and pinned until it finally resembled a waterfall of delicate swirls that framed her face, which was quite a feat. The strands in the back of her head had also be somewhat woven together in artful curls that were held together by a few red gemstone pins.

Thankfully, makeup had been kept a little more simple. She had been a little nervous about someone other than herself doing her liquid eyeliner and mascara, especially when that someone was a very excitable and spontaneous dadmom, but in the end it looked better than any job she had ever done. The lip stain was a simple dark crimson, but the eyeshadow was absolutely _stunning._ It was sunset themed like the dress, and it faded from purple to red to orange to yellow from eyelashes to eyebrows. And it didn't look overdone!

Haruhi pretty much had to hold her father up as he gushed over (F/n)'s final appearance. Tears were shed, declarations of perfection were shared, and thousands upon thousands of photos were taken. (F/n) had hugged Ranka tightly as a final 'thank-you' before her "date" had shown up to escort her to the dance.

 _I should've known something was up the moment he told me I looked "nice"._

Instantly, (F/n)'s mood soured. Kazumi had hardly spared her a glance during the whole car ride. Suddenly, losing him for the rest of the night didn't seem like a real big problem anymore.

Another quick glance at the couple's table told her that the cake was no longer required to be the middleman. _Oh my god, get a room!_ Groaning, she returned to staring at the candle, mentally swearing up and down that next year she was claiming Haruhi as her date, no matter _what_ the Fangirls said.

 _Speaking of which, where is she?_

Looking out over the sea of heads, (F/n) spotted her neighbor leading a very short ravenette through a slow waltz, talking casually as she did so. The (h/c) smirked. _At least one of us is vaguely enjoying themselves._ She could've looked for the other hosts, but that would've been pointless, since she didn't know what they looked like.

Even though the Host Club hadn't been the ones to put on this dance, they had sure been a big part of its endorsement. The dance was a really big 'couples-only' thing, so unless you had a date you couldn't get in. That didn't necessarily mean boyfriend or girlfriend, though. It was more of that 'strengthening business ties' that these kids parents were always pressuring them to do. Getting to know one another and becoming closer so their companies would have better trades and deals later on. But for those who wanted to flaunt? The hosts had held an auction for themselves. The winners would get the hosts for a full half an hour of the dance and a ticket in for the rest of the night.

This meant (F/n) had to only wait for another ten or so minutes before Haruhi could come over and talk to her.

"Excuse me."

The deep, smooth voice startled her. She looked up and saw what could possibly be the most handsome boy she'd ever met. He was tall, probably hovering around the six foot range, with black hair styled to look professionally done and yet seem casual all the same. He had sharp features and cool grey eyes that glinted in the light of the flame behind his thin-rimmed silver glasses.

It took (F/n) a moment to remember he had just addressed her.

"Yes?"

"May I sit here?" He gestured to the chair on the opposite side of her table, face revealing none of his thoughts as he awaited an answer.

"Sure." Surprisingly her voice was even and strong, albeit quiet, and he sat down with a 'thank you'. (F/n) did her best to fix her gaze back on the candle so she wouldn't openly stare. The warm light made the blue glass jar glow peacefully, as if (F/n)'s insides weren't whirling around like a miniature tornado was in her stomach. _What's this guy doing, sitting next to me? Doesn't he have a date somewhere around here?_

As if he could sense her thoughts were on him, the boy cleared his throat, "Pardon my rudeness; I haven't even introduced myself yet. Ootori Kyoya, Miss." She glanced up at his face and all the air in her lungs came rushing out. He was smirking, eyes fixed upon her and glinting in what could almost be described as humor or even curiosity. (F/n) could literally feel her brain short-circuiting. _Damn, he's really hot. But… Kyoya? Oh…_

"Nice to meet you. I'm-"

"(F/n) (L/n). You're Ouran's first ever (N/c/o) student who recently transferred into class 2-B as of the start of this year. You're already at the top of your class and received top marks on Ouran's entrance exam. You've caught a lot of attention in the past few months, now haven't you, Ms. (L/n)?"

(F/n)'s eyes widened and she leaned away, alarm bells and red flags going off inside her head like crazy, "How could you possibly know any of that? I've never even met you before!"

Kyoya smirked again, "As I said before, you've caught a lot of attention during your time here at Ouran, Ms. (L/n). You're quite possibly the very first (N/c/o) to ever set foot in this school and that has made you fairly famous around here. On that note, I was interested in you. Besides, not only are you a close friend and neighbor of a member of the club I am the Vice President of… but you are also the girl my date was ranting on about because you came to this dance with her ex-boyfriend."

(F/n) blinked, attempting to process everything he had just thrown in her face, "Wait. Let me see if I understand this. You were interested in me because I'm the first (N/c/o) to attend school here, so you researched me and looked into my grades?"

"I was curious and had the resources. I did nothing illegal, if that is your concern."

"O...kay. You are Haruhi are in a club together?"

"Yes."

"You're a host. I _knew_ I recognized your name. Haruhi's mentioned you before."

"Oh she has? Do tell."

"Well, Haruhi normally just complains about someone named Tamaki and a pair of twins from her grade, but your name has popped in there once or twice. Besides, the girls who sit beside me in class talk nonstop about the host club. Sorry, but your clients give me headaches."

Kyoya chuckled, deep and near-melodic, "My apologies, but I'm afraid there is little I can do about them."

Fighting against the way his voice made her throat tighten, (F/n) continued, "Fair enough. But final point; you came with the girl my "date" just ran off with?"

"She won my auction. I had little say in the matter.

(F/n) nibbled at the inside of her cheek, "If you could have turned her down… would you have?"

"Yes," he responds immediately, "I was well aware of Osian-san's intention of making Hishiyama-san jealous by hanging off my arm for the beginning of the night, but at the same time I'm glad it was me and not another host who might not have been as eager to hand her off to another boy."

"Why'd she pick you?"

"Why not me? Hishiyama-san's father works as a neurosurgeon at a hospital my family owns. Perhaps it had something to do with that."

The (h/c) felt herself deflate, leaning forward to rest her elbow on the table and plop her chin into her right hand, the other playing with the blue light shining around the table top, "Right. Well, I suppose it's nice to know that I wasn't the only one being used tonight."

Kyoya went quiet for a moment before he leaned forward, very serious-like, "He's a fool, you know." (F/n)'s chin is removed from the palm of her hand and she's forced to meet Kyoya's gaze, "Between you and Miss Osian, there's no true contest."

A large hand wrapped itself around hers, which had frozen on the table in shock, and she jumped slightly. His skin is colder than hers, but it feels nice compared to the heat of the room full of dancing bodies and candles.

The (N/c/o) swallowed before asking, "What do you mean?" Her face must be the color of her lipstick by now, a voice in her head screaming, _How on Earth did I get that to come out as anything but a squeak, let alone have it sound like I'm flirting back?!_

Kyoya released her chin and gripped her other hand, rubbing little circles on the back with his thumb, "For one, you are immensely intelligent, much more so than your competition who is incidentally failing quite a few of her lessons. Secondly, it takes a lot to become Haruhi Fujioka's best friend, so I can assume you are an honest person, most likely modest, kind, and an interesting conversation partner just by that alone. None of these traits apply to Ms. Osian. And third," his gaze darkened a bit, voice lowering, "you are, by far, the most beautiful girl in this room."

The compliments are surprising and make (F/n) weak at the knees, but that last one catches her off guard. Still, as shocked as she is by these turn of events, she still finds a wide smile stretching across her lips, "You probably wouldn't say that if I was dressed in my t-shirt and jeans. I don't usually have all this makeup on or wear my hair up like this."

"Oh, I know. I've seen you at school before and believe me, I'd have told you sooner if I didn't think I'd scare you off."

"Scare me off? You make it sound like you want me to stay close."

"Perhaps," He grinned, showing his flawless white teeth. (F/n) withdrew her hands quickly and shut down her own smile. His falters, "Is something wrong?"

"You're a host."

"Yes, I am. Is there a problem?"

"You're a host. Haruhi's told me about you, Kyoya. Not much, but she _has_ mentioned how you don't do anything unless it benefits you. And the only thing you could achieve by flirting with me…" she looked over to where her "date" and his re-girlfriend are still making face, "...is getting back at the girl who used you to get another man, whom you see as beneath you. You can't deal with the fact that she chose him over you. You're not hurt, you don't feel anything towards her either, but you're unhappy to be second best."

Kyoya is quiet for a moment, then, "You truly are much more intelligent than the other girls at this school."

The corner of her mouth twitches, "Thank you for that actual compliment."

"Are you upset?"

"Not at all."

Kyoya raised an eyebrow, "Really? I just tried to play with your feelings in an attempt to get back at a girl who brought me to this party just to ditch me."

"Yes you did. And so was I." (F/n) stood up from her chair, glaring daggers at the couple who had finally parted from each other's lips, "So let's show them what they just lost out on."

Kyoya doesn't move for a second, and with the angle of his head the (h/c) couldn't see his eyes. The lights from the lanterns hanging above their heads were casting the perfect glare over his glasses, making it near impossible to discern his reaction to this surprising turn of events.

Then he does his deep chuckle before standing up and offering a hand, "That sounds delightful, Ms. (L/n)." (F/n) lay her right hand in his and Kyoya leads her to the edge of the dance floor. Once they were standing beside the other couples who were waiting patiently for the next song to begin she placed one hand on his shoulder, his on her waist, and their remaining hands delicately clasping together at shoulder height.

Just as the musicians ready their bows, (F/n) spots Kazumi glance over at them from the corner of her eye. His shocked face disappears from view quickly as Kyoya begins leading her through a waltz. She does her best not to groan as they begin dancing to the slow song, but her new partner is quick to notice her displeasure.

He looks at her with amusement, "What have I done now?"

"Hm? Oh, nothing. I'm just not a big fan of these slow songs."

"What about faster ones?"

"Like the salsa, the tango, and swing dances? I love them. Really, any fast paced dance would be fun. Haven't heard much of a mariachi band tonight, though."

Kyoya chuckles at her lame attempt at a joke and twirls the (h/c) around, "Interesting." He pulls her back into his chest, a little closer than before, "Most girls enjoy these slow dances because there's less of a chance of messing up and embarrassing themselves."

"Unless you're me and think too far into the future about the steps you'll have to take, and when it's a slow song you get a little ahead of yourself and-" she's cut off as she takes a step forward instead of backwards. If Kyoya hadn't turned himself away at that exact moment, he would've been kicked in the shins.

He eyes her with humor and (F/n) look down at the buttons on his white shirt, "Then that happens."

Kyoya chuckled again, "You weren't exaggerating."

"Shut up. So, what dances do you prefer?"

"I don't have much of a preference. Each dance has it's own chart of pros and cons."

"Oh really? Enlighten me."

"The salsa, as you mentioned earlier, has lively music, fast movements that increase the heart rate, and is pleasing to watch. However, it is fast-paced and quick footed, so missteps are not an option if you wish to remain standing."

"Well, that's true. But what about the waltz?"

"The waltz may be slow and tedious and a total cliché, but it does present ample time to converse with your partner, as we are conversing now."

The (N/c/o) smiled slightly, "Yeah, it does."

The two of them spun around the dance floor, moving methodically closer to the center of the mass of dancing students. As the song began approaching its end, the tempo picked up slightly into a more enjoyable tempo and (F/n)'s smile widened as they continued to dance. As Kyoya spun her around and back into his arms, he raised an eyebrow.

"I take it you're enjoying yourself?"

"I am. It's weird, but I've never enjoyed school dances before. Maybe it's because I've never had a partner who had a clue how to properly dance."

"And how am I doing?"

"You, Mr. Ootori, have exceeded all my expectations for this night."

Kyoya smirks and their eyes meet. Something sparkles in his grey irises and (F/n) is suddenly well aware of his hand on her waist. At the back of her mind, she noted how his hand that was in hers was no longer cold. Their steps slow as the music winds down. The space between them seems to decrease and Kyoya's smirk flickers.

Someone knocks into (F/n)'s bare shoulder causing her to stumble to the right. She probably would've fallen down if it weren't for Kyoya. Regardless, he stumbled slightly after her before they regained their footing.

"Oh, sorry." The (h/c) watch in disbelief as their previous "dates" dance away, pressed against each other all the way up and down their bodies. A squeeze on her hands pulls her attention away.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes. It didn't hurt too much. You?"

"...They weren't targeting me."

(F/n) processed his words before looking back over her shoulder. The two were now halfway across the dance floor and looked pretty pleased with themselves, despite how a few of the dancers who'd seen that little scene were glaring at them. When she faced Kyoya again, she couldn't keep the wavering out of her voice.

" _Why me?_ "

"I can think of two reasons for each of them. For Hishiyama-san, it's because he's jealous that you found another dance partner just as quickly as he ditched you and because he realized you are more beautiful than Osian-san. Same reasons for her, actually, except she can't target me personally."

She rolled her eyes, "Gr _eaaaat_ ~"

"(F/n)! Are you alright?"

Haruhi and her partner walked over, staring at the (h/c) with concern. She waved them off, "I'm okay, really."

Kyoya squeezed her hand, "If you wish to part ways here, you might not receive any more-"

"Not happening. For once I'm actually enjoying myself at a school dance. I'm afraid you're stuck with me for a while, Glasses."

Kyoya looks a little surprised, but he smirks and nods all the same. Realizing her friend was in good hands, Haruhi and her date disappeared back into the fray as the next song began. It was a bouncy foxtrot, and (F/n) actually recognized the tune immediately. It was 'L.O.V.E.' by Nat King Cole, one of her favorites. The song brings forth a smile as she began humming along, she and her partner practically floating across the floor.

About a minute into the song, the two make eye contact and (F/n) lets out a happy giggle, pressing her forehead against Kyoya's shoulder. His responding chuckles made his chest bounce a bit. Her dress fans around her legs, making it shimmer and sparkle beautifully in the half-light.

Around the dancing pair, other couples were watching their procession closer to the center of the dance floor. Some eyed their dancing appreciatively and some were confused, sure that they had seen the host with another girl only a few moments ago, but didn't say anything. Besides, it wasn't often that Kyoya Ootori looked like he was genuinely enjoying himself.

As for (F/n) and Kyoya? They could hardly hear the whispers around them, ignoring them in favor of focusing on their partner. (F/n) watched as Kyoya's smirk softened into an actual smile the longer they danced. And Kyoya was more than content to listen to his beautiful dance partner sing along quietly to the climax of the song, picking her up and spinning her around in a circle to the end just to hear her laughter.

They applaud the string players once the song ends and easily transition back into dancing when the next one begins, not stepping an inch away from each other.

"I've never enjoyed dancing this much before," (F/n) confesses, smiling widely at the boy who'd saved her doomed evening.

"I… can honestly say I feel the same. I didn't know you could sing."

"I wouldn't exactly call it singing… I just like that song a lot."

"Well, I call what you just did singing with an absolutely beautiful voice. No wonder Hishiyama-san chose you to bring to the dance. You're full of hidden talents, (L/n)-san."

"Please… call me (F/n)."

Kyoya pressed his forehead against hers, sending all the air out of her lungs, "Then call me Kyoya."

"I will."

"Still enjoying yourself, (F/n)?"

"Very much so, Kyoya. Thank you so much for doing this."

He released her right hand in order to cup her face. There was something sad in his eyes. Something… sincere. Not knowing what to do with her newly freed hand, she wrap her arms around his neck and loosely link her fingers together, waiting for him to speak. Their foreheads were still touching as they swayed calmly to the music.

"You don't have to thank me, (F/n). I couldn't bear to see you unhappy when you found out your crush had tossed you aside."

The girl blinked and jerked her head back a little, "What are you talking about? I didn't have a crush on Kazumi-san. He's just my (f/c) partner. He sleeps through the lesson and then asks me to teach it to him at the end of class. Really annoying actually."

Kyoya's left hand released her chin and drifted down to her other hip, "Then why did you come with him?"

"He asked me. I knew he had just broken up with his girlfriend and he was nice enough, so I figured I'd go with him as a friend and give him some support in case she came with another guy. Besides, I didn't expect to be asked by anyone else, really."

"Then why were you so upset when I found you?"

"Because I hadn't anticipated being used to make his ex-girlfriend jealous and then tossed away like a rag doll. _That_ had hurt. I hate being used." (F/n) look up at him with a teasing glare, "Which is why I didn't appreciate you using your _host charms_ on me earlier."

"About that… just out of curiosity why _did_ you stop responding to my hosting earlier?"

"Because you flashed that fake grin at me. I could tell it wasn't a real smile."

They stop moving across the floor, thankfully not in anybody's way, and just stared at each other. Or, more like Kyoya stared at (F/n) in complete and utter surprise while she casually waited for him to say what's on his mind. His grip on her waist had tightened ever so slightly, and she would be lying if she said she was ignoring the new pressure.

"You could tell?"

"Of course I could tell. Beforehand you didn't do anything but smirk and lightly chuckle. The grin was too… random for it to be real."

Kyoya just stays still for a moment before continuing with, "You're the first person who's ever been able to tell my smile is fake and continue to be…" He seems to lose his train of thought, so (F/n) gently released his neck and took his hands to lead them both off the dance floor. As she pulled the silent boy away, Kazumi-san and his girlfriend watched with unreadable expressions on their faces. _Whatever_ , she thought and pushed them out of her mind.

Kyoya is silent all the way to the far corner of the room. When they're more than twenty feet away from any other listening ears, she turns back towards the raven-haired teen.

"Kyoya? Are you okay?"

"Why did you want to dance with me? You said you hate being used, but even when you could tell I was doing just that we danced together and you seemed to enjoy yourself. Why?"

"I'm not exactly sure. You just seem… different from the other boys at this school. Most boys, once they found out their date had ditched them for another guy, they would've just grabbed any random girl from the crowd. If anything, they'd get mad at the other boy's previous "date" for not keeping him in line. Not try to cheer them up.

"Kyoya, there was no way you would've upset Osian-san by speaking to me by the candle. She wasn't paying any attention. And, really, if I was so sad about my "crush" leaving me for another girl, you and I both know that I wouldn't have been up for dancing with anyone else. And yet you still came over and tried to cheer me up which would be totally out of character for you...

"...unless there was something else for you to gain."

Kyoya is quiet for a moment, "I… will admit… that I have seen you around before. Talking to Haruhi. Walking through the halls. Working in the library. Reading on a bench. You intrigued me. You were not at all what I expected from an (N/c/o) Exchange student. When I saw you tonight, looking so miserable, I couldn't help myself. I wanted to talk to you. Try and get inside of your head. Learn what I could, because not knowing was driving me insane.

"But when I used my host charms on you, and you didn't respond to the smile, I assumed that there was no way for me to reclaim your attention and prepared myself to leave you alone… until you invited me to dance. I was so confused, because at first you were calling me out for using you, then smiling and enjoying a slow dance with me, which you previously admitted to disliking. Why?"

(F/n) looked to the candle on her left, "Because I liked talking and spending time with the _real_ you. Not the host you."

There's a slight gasp. Her lower lip is sucked in between her teeth, showing the worry that suddenly filled her mind. _Did I step over a line? Oh geez, I probably did._ She waits for him to leave. Maybe politely tell her to back off.

Instead...Kyoya gently presses his lips to her cheek.

(F/n) freezes at the feeling of his soft mouth resting against her skin. After a moment he slowly pulls away, lips making a small little smacking sound. He withdraws, not meeting the girl's gaze.

"I'm sorry. That was inappropriate of me." She pressed her fingers to the spot he kissed.

" _You missed_."

"Sorry, what?"

(F/n) bit her lip before repeating, "You missed."

He looks down at her in surprise before hesitantly lowering his face downwards until his lips finally capture her own. Struggling to remain conscious and not faint, she kisses him back, eyelids fluttering shut. It's soft. It's gentle. It's sweet. And yet it also sparks and crackles and pops and sends little lightning bolts down her nerves. It had the hesitation of an awkward first kiss, but to (F/n) it felt like their mouths fit together like perfect puzzle pieces, her lower lip slipping between his own.

A pair of warm arms wrap around her waist and when she comes out of her mental blackout her arms are back around his neck. It was very similar to their previous dancing position, but it would've been awkward moving around the dance floor while (F/n)'s toes curled inside of her heeled shoes as Kyoya tilted his head slightly.

It seemed like forever before (F/n) finally pulled away for air. When she did, Kyoya also gasped and rested his forehead against hers. Black spots danced in their vision as they shared the warm air between them.

"Kyoya..."

"Was that your first kiss?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Yes. And?"

"Please kiss me again."

"Oh, gladly."

Their lips brushed once again before someone clears their throat right behind Kyoya. The two part quickly and turn. It's Kazumi's girlfriend, Ms. Osian. And she does _not_ look happy.

"Ex _cuse_ me, but might I ask what my _date_ is doing?"

(F/n) feels Kyoya's grip around her waist tighten, pulling her closer, "I'm afraid I'm not sure what you mean. I certainly don't see Hishiyama-san anywhere… in fact I haven't seem him since that unfortunate mishap on the dance floor."

The blonde snarls, "That moron is still at the table, where I dumped him again. And I was refering to _you._ "

"You two have split up again? Such a shame. If you don't mind my asking, why would you do something like that?"

"He was staring at another girl."

Her hazel eyes flicked over to (F/n), and she suddenly understood. Kazumi-san had been watching _her._ Ms. Osian confirms her suspicious by following up with, "And he would also like to request his date be sent back to him as well."

(F/n) smiles as condescendingly as she can, flicking a wave over to her ex-date from across the hall, "Well, he's going to be disappointed when he learns that I fully intend to spend the rest of tonight with Ootori-kun here. Oh, and if you would be so kind as to inform him that I will not be assisting him in (f/c) anymore, I would greatly appreciate it."

The girl standing before them scowled before plastering her fake smile back into place, ignoring (F/n) in favor of Kyoya, "Well, I hate to break it to you, Sweetheart, but he won't be spending any more time with you. Money changed hands, which means tonight _he_ belongs to _me._ Kyoya, let's go."

She held out her hand, but Kyoya simply raised an eyebrow and tugged (F/n) even closer, "Ms. Osian… you do realize that I was only your escort for the first half an hour of this event, correct? Your time with me has expired."

What (F/n) wouldn't _give_ to have a camera right now.

Kyoya smirked at the horrified look on the blonde's face before gently leading (F/n) away, "Terribly sorry to cut this short, but I do believe Ms. (L/n) and I were on our way out. Excuse us."

And with that, they were walking away from the red-faced girl and out the dance hall. They spotted Haruhi, who was still speaking with her date and a tall blond boy. She saw the two of them and looked surprised, but still smiled and waved at them. Kazumi stood up from his seat, confusion all over his face, but didn't follow them as two red-haired twins moved to stand in his way. And a tall ravenet and super short blond boy gave Kyoya a 'thumbs-up' as the two finally made their way out of the dance hall.

Giggles are slowly forcing their way up (F/n)'s throat and she clings to Kyoya's arm which is still wrapped around her torso. The two of them share a smile every few steps until they come to a stop outside in the warm early-summer air.

She turned to her date and let out an actual laugh, "Would I be correct in guessing that the two who gave you a thumbs-up were from your club?"

"You would. And you'd also be correct if you assumed the twins who kept your ex-date from following us were also hosts. It would seem as though we were being watched throughout the night."

(F/n) laughed again, walking down the stone steps to the cobblestone walkway and looked out towards the horizon, where the sun was in the middle of setting, "Well… what do you propose we do now? Well… that is if you…"

"I would very much like to remain in your company, (F/n), if you'll have me."

She grinned, "I believe I would enjoy that, Kyoya. What do you have in mind?"

"Well, my parents don't especially care how long I stay out on Friday nights so long as I am back before they awake. I have my credit card and wallet on me, it is a very lovely 19°C outside, and there should be plenty of ways to entertain a young, lovely, date of mine downtown among the shops." He pulled her close again, smirking contently at her responding smile, "The real question, of course, is where would _you_ like to go? What would you like to do? Tell me anything, and it's yours."

"Wow. You really go all in with this romance stuff, don't you?" The (h/c) looked back towards the sunset, thinking for a moment, "Well, I suppose the first thing I'd like to do is kiss someone in front of this beautiful sunset. Then maybe find a place to eat, since I was too busy being paraded around the ballroom like a prize dog to touch the buffet. And after that… we can make it up as we go along."

Kyoya chuckled, "Sounds like a date. And as for that first bit..."

(F/n) squeaks as she's suddenly dipped backwards, lips being quickly found by her date. Her hands clenched at his shoulders, not wanting to hurt his neck but still needing something to hold onto. In her mind, she couldn't ignore just how cheesy this moment was. It was like… something out of a Hollywood movie or a Fanfiction. But at the same time she found it hard to care.

* * *

 **I hope y'all enjoyed that because it might take me a while to write another chapter. I'm heading off on vacation in less than a week and my mother has requested that I not bring my laptop along. It sucks, but I'll still take my journal along so if something comes up I'll have a place to write it out.**

 **If you like what you've read, please favorite, follow, and leave a little review. Doesn't have to be much, but I enjoy hearing from you all!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	7. Banned

**I'm so, so,** _ **so**_ **sorry for such a long wait! My reader-insert muse just decided to skedaddle and I scrapped, like, five other ideas before finally coming to this one. I just grabbed a random prompt and said "This is going out whether I hate it or not!"** **And, well, here we are. Don't hate me for such a short fic, please?**

 **Thank you to queenglitch, peanut101696, and guest for your reviews on my last chapter. It means a lot to me!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own.**

* * *

 **(F/n) = First name**

 **(L/n) = Last name**

 **(L/o) = Language of origin (If you speak Japanese, then just pick a different one)**

 **Reader-chan is in her early twenties.**

* * *

Banned!

"Hm…" I slowly lifted my foot and set the toe on the bottom of the shelf. It began creaking immediately and I drew back. "Nope."

Tilting my head back, I stared at the top shelf. _Magnus Chase and The Hammer of Thor_ seemed to taunt me from its high pedestal. It was one of the few (L/o) books in the store, which was probably why it was so far up the shelf, and that presented a problem for me. There were no stools that I could see and not a single employee had passed by in the last fifteen minutes. Jumping was all for nothing, and I had already nearly gotten lost looking for the stupid book once already. I didn't need to make a fool of myself if I hunted down an employee and couldn't lead them back here!

Footsteps approaching made my head turn in hope, only to see another shopper. He looked to be my age with black hair, glasses, and a grumpy expression on his otherwise handsome face. I tried for a smile. He ignored me.

 _But…_ my eyes jumped up and down, _he's tall._

"Excuse me… sir?"

The boy looked up from the books he was looking at. Children's books, it looked like. Maybe for his kid? There wasn't a ring on his finger…

"Can I help you, miss?"

Trying not to be put off by his cold tone, I tried adopting a meek expression, pointing up at the Magnus Chase novel, "Could I get a little help, please? I'm afraid I'm not tall enough." He followed where my finger was pointing and his lips twitched into a small curve. My hope grew.

And then he started chuckling, "Isn't that series for children?"

My smile vanished, "I could ask the same of you."

The ravenet was still smirking, "I'm not purchasing the books for myself. Can you say the same, still?"

"Maybe not. But I enjoy the series, and I'm not going to stop reading them, so if you could just grab it for me we can part ways now."

The man was chuckling a little harder now, walking over to reach up for the book. He pulled it down, but didn't hand it over. Instead, he started flipping through the pages. A strange surge of protectiveness came over me. I didn't want him touching _my_ book.

"Thank you, ca-"

"Such large print. Easy words. What's the age group for this, again? Ages 10 and up? Perhaps 9?"

"Give it here! If you don't like it, don't read it!"

He flipped the book shut and looked at the cover, "Such a colorful cover. I assume this has more pictures somewhere inside it?"

"Shut up!"

My hands went up and grabbed the book, but he held on, a huge smirk on his face from knowing he'd gotten under my skin. And, in a complete act of stupidity and anger, I used my whole body to shove him backwards, sending us into the pile of Harry Potter books on display. The two of us went down and I felt him let go of the book, so I pulled it close to my chest.

We stayed still on the floor as the rest of the display slowly toppled down, probably trying to grasp what had just happened.

" _What_ is going _on_ here?"

I suddenly figured out why there were so few employees at this bookstore. It was because they spent all their money finding security guards. It took maybe three minutes before the two of us were pushed forcefully out the doors with a warning of what would happen if we came back.

It took me a while before I realized that I still had the book in my hands.

"Huh."

Instantly, the guy exploded, "What do you mean, 'huh'?! You just got us kicked out! _Now_ where am I going to find (L/o) children's books?"

"Nu-huh! Don't you try to blame this on me! If you hadn't acted like such a self-righteous _prick_ we wouldn't be in this mess!"

"Do you _know_ what my sister will do if I don't come back with that book?"

Deciding not to waste any more time on this guy, I turn around, "Too bad, so sad. Good luck with that."

"She will _kill_ me!" I groan as the guy starts following me, "And did you even pay for that book? You stole it?"

"If I try to go hand it back they'll call the cops, remember? They won't miss it, remember where I got it from?"

I can't see the man's face, but his tone grows colder, "I could report you-"

"And they'd call the cops on you, too. Besides, you don't even know my name."

"I suppose you're right. I'd imagine it be rather difficult to call the police when you're _dead._ "

Letting out a loud, useless sound, I spun back round the face the guy, "What is your deal?! First you insult me and the book I want, _then_ you get me banned from the closest bookstore around that sells books in (L/o), and _now_ you won't leave me alone! What's got you so pissy?" The man looked startled from my outburst. I realize now I had probably thrown in a few words in (L/o) without realizing it, but I was still too angry to say that all again in Japanese.

Finally, he just sighs and rubs at his forehead, "I apologize. I had no right to say such things about you or your book. I simply... " another sigh, "It's my sister. It's her son's birthday, my nephew, and her husband has been recently transferred to a job in (C/o), so she wants to introduce her son to the language early. She just told me and I figured a children's book would be a better birthday present than what I had planned, but it's hard to find those without going online. I needed it now, the party is in a few hours."

"Oh great… now I feel guilty." Still, he had apologized, and an idea came to mind, "Hey, I just thought of something. I have a few children's books at my apartment in (L/o). If you want, you can have one."

He looked surprised, "Seriously? You'd just… give me one?"

"Why not? I'm not using them for anything. And besides, I got my book for free, why shouldn't you?"

We stare at each other for a brief moment before the ravenet offered a hand, "Kyoya Ootori. I apologize, again, for the way we met."

I laugh and take his hand in a firm handshake, "(F/n) (L/n), and don't worry about it. I met my older cousin in a worse way."

"I'm almost afraid to ask, but how?"

"We were at a water park, and I accidently ran into him with my tube and knocked him down into the Lazy River. He refused to talk to me whenever we met up again for the next two years."

Kyoya started laughing, a surprisingly pleasant sound as we began walking down the sidewalk, "That almost makes me feel better about when I first met my current best friend."

"You said that knowing I'd want details, right?"

He smiled, "Of course."

* * *

 **Eh, it's cute. I know it's super short in comparison to the long wait, but I'll try harder next time around.**

 **If you liked the chapter, please favorite, follow, and leave a little review! I'm thinking about putting up a Male!Reader chapter or perhaps a chapter-long reader insert if you guys would be interested.**

 **See you next chapter!**


	8. Spy Dates

**Yeah… I don't really know what that title's doing. For every plot change I put into my stories, a good title escapes my brain. Oh well, I'm proud of this anyways. Another random writing prompt I turned into a Reader-insert. I jumped between making this a Fem!Reader or Male!Reader a few times before finally deciding. Perhaps there will be Male!Readers to come. You never know.**

 **Thank you queenglitch, emryspotterjackson, and Sasuke'sLittleSakura for your reviews! I really appreciate them!**

 **Disclaimer: I… yeah, no, I don't own this stuff.**

* * *

 **(F/n) = First name**

 **(L/n) = Last name**

 **(h/c) = Hair color**

 **(e/c) = Eye color**

 **(f/c) = Favorite cheesecake flavor**

 **Reader-chan and the rest of the host club are attending college in Japan.**

* * *

Spy Dates

 _Vvvp! Vvvp!_

(F/n) jumped a little in her seat and immediately cast her gaze around the restaurant she was sitting in. Thankfully, her small jolt hadn't caught anyone's attention. They were all too busy chatting with each other or looking over the menu. And, more importantly, the couple sitting close to the middle of the restaurant floor had yet to even notice she was in the room at all.

Letting out a small sigh, (F/n) discreetly pulled her phone out of her purse. It was a text from Ranka. Of course.

 _How's it going?_

Rolling her eyes, but smiling all the same, she quickly typed out how the two sitting at the other table were still looking at their menus. Not even a minute later Ranka was responding, thanking (F/n), once again, for doing this for him.

(F/n) replied that it wasn't a big deal, it wasn't like she had anything better to do, but even she was well aware how strange it was for her to watch over her neighbor while she was on her first official dinner date with her new boyfriend.

Slipping the cell phone back into the black accessory, her eyes ran up and down the menu. She felt a little sick looking at the prices, but knew Ranka had promised to cover half of the cost of her meal in payment. Still, for these prices, the plates better be made out of solid gold.

"Ma'am? Are you waiting for anyone else?"

(F/n) looked up at the waitress and shook her head, "No."

"Okay, then. Can I get you something to drink?"

"Green tea, please."

The waitress nodded, performed a quick bow, and rushed back off to the kitchen. (F/n) tried not to be bitter about not being able to answer her first question with 'Yes, my boyfriend should be coming any moment now', but having been dumped just three days ago because she 'asked for too much', that wasn't going to happen. (F/n) fought the urge to scowl. All she wanted was to bring her boyfriend to this restaurant to enforce her cover, while half of the bill would be covered! As if she didn't pick up the tab for every other place they went to!

Part of her was honestly a little relieved she was no longer attached to such a cheapskate. The guy hadn't wanted to put anything of monetary value into the relationship. Refusing to even invite her to eat at his own place so he wouldn't have to buy to ingredients or be the one to rent the movie they watched afterwards.

(F/n) looked over at Haruhi and the blond boy at her table. They were finally ordering their drinks. Green tea, just like her, which didn't even cost anything at this restaurant. Even though Ranka had informed her that this Tamaki guy was filthy rich and evidently liked to try showering Haruhi with gifts, it would seem like the short-haired brunette was teaching him a few money-saving tricks. It was a pretty good balancing act for such a new couple. Despite her own bad luck in her relationship, (F/n) was happy for her neighbor/best friend.

In the process of turning away from the two, (F/n) noticed someone was watching her. She looked across the room and saw the tail end of the guy's stare. He turned his attention to Haruhi and Tamaki himself before looking back at his own menu. There was something familiar about the man, but (F/n)'s brain was racing with too many other possibilities to try and figure out how. He was eating by himself as well, and (F/n) saw his gaze slip over to Haruhi and Tamaki more than once in the following three minutes.

Was he going to try and make a move on Haruhi as soon as Tamaki got up to use the bathroom? Follow Haruhi when _she_ went to the bathroom? You never could tell these days.

This was another reason Ranka had asked for (F/n)'s help, but she didn't really want to. The thought of walking around the whole room, knowing people would watch her, and try to confront that man who was probably richer than the entire complex she lived in made her stomach roll.

Unfortunately, she didn't have much of a choice.

 _For Haruhi._

Gathering her courage, the girl shakily stood up, grabbed her purse, and walked around the edge of the other tables. Thankfully, Tamaki was the one facing her direction, and he didn't seem willing to take his eyes off of Haruhi while she spoke, so she wouldn't be spotted as she wandered to the bathroom. Of course, she was going to pass right by the black-haired man, which is what made her significantly more nervous than being recognized by anyone.

She had taken a single step past him, her mouth barely parted to say something in passing about leaving the new couple alone, when the stranger beat her to the punch.

"If you dare try coming up with something to ruin their date, I will personally ensure you never work again." (F/n) stops in shock, turning her head to stare at the man. He looked completely at ease, not even returning her gaze. Now that she was closer, (F/n) couldn't help but note a few features of the handsome man. Perfectly combed hair, a soft but confident gaze, thin glasses perched on his thin curved nose, and a sharp yet gentle face. He was clearly powerful, but perhaps not cruel...

Of course, back to the matter at hand, "Wait, so you're not trying to ruin their date? Actually, how do you even know them?"

That got his attention, causing his eyes to move from the menu to her face.

"You weren't just eyeing the blond boy over at that table?"

"And you weren't watching the girl?"

They stared at each other for a moment.

"Did Ranka send you, too?"

The man's eyes widened behind his silver glasses, "Ranka? No, Tamaki… the blond asked me to come. He wanted some, quote-unquote, 'back-up' on his first date. Did Ranka send _you?_ "

"Yeah. I'm Haruhi's neighbor, (F/n) (L/n), and Ranka wanted someone to send him updates on Haruhi's date."

He blinks, then chuckles, "That is a relief. Incidentally, I remember Haruhi speaking of you on occasion. She thinks very highly of you. Kyoya Ootori." He held out a hand, which (F/n) took, giggling a little. She had to admit, their situation was a little funny. Sighing, she pulled away and looked at her own empty table back across the room.

"Well, I'm glad that was cleared up. Now, I should-"

"Would you mind sitting with me?" (F/n) sharply turned her head, unable to stop herself from blinking rapidly at the hand gesturing towards the place across from the man… Kyoya. "I would enjoy some company while I'm here, incidentally. You haven't ordered yet, have you?"

"I-I have some tea coming soon, but I haven't ordered my meal, yet."

He smirked, "I'll alert my waiter. Please, sit."

Hoping her face wasn't pink at the thought of spending the next hour or so with Kyoya as her only company, (F/n) sat across from him. Her foot accidentally hit his as she slid into the booth and now she _knew_ she was blushing, at least a little. Kyoya didn't seem to mind. In fact, he chuckled in amusement before signalling to a passing waiter to inform them of the rearrangements. Once they were alone with each other, Kyoya leaned forward a little, placing his chin on his fist.

"So, what is a pretty girl like you coming to this restaurant undercover without a date? People would've grown suspicious."

Forget a little blush, (F/n)'s face must be bright red by now. "I-I could ask the same of a handsome man like you." Her stomach clenched in either anticipation or complete terror as Kyoya eyed her with so much intensity she was sure she was about to melt into the floor. That is, if that smirk didn't make her heart stop first.

"I did ask you first."

(F/n) sighed, reaching up to twist a lock of her (h/c) hair, "Fair warning, it's not a nice reason. I was dumped a few days ago when I asked my now ex-boyfriend to accompany me here. I told him half the bill would be covered by Ranka, that was the deal, but I guess he didn't want to risk being asked to cover half of what would be left. He's never paid or bought anything he didn't have too… even if it was for us to enjoy, so I guess I wasn't as surprised or hurt as I could've been."

Kyoya's eyebrows lifted, as if he was genuinely surprised, "No gifts? Flowers? Dinner dates?" A slightly bitter laugh was his response.

"If he had to pay for it, it was a no-go. He wouldn't even let us eat in at his home. Whenever we ate dinner together, it was at my apartment, and I had to buy and cook the whole thing. Then he'd critique everything. 'This isn't the pasta sauce my mom used to buy.' 'My dad never let the noodles cook over 8 minutes. Yours were on the stove for 8 and a half.'"

"...You are joking, right?"

"Not even remotely." (F/n) let out a sigh. She actually felt a lot better now that she had told someone about it. "So, what about you? Were you ditched? Seems unlikely."

Probably caught off guard from her story, Kyoya's cheeks dusted with a rosy color as he leaned back against the booth, trying to look cool, "No. I simply didn't invite anyone. When Tamaki called to ask for the favor I was at my family's corporate offices, where I work around my class schedule, and the receptionist picked up. Of course, if you know Tamaki, he didn't even wait to make sure I was the one who had picked up before he was spilling the whole story. Our young… ex-receptionist thought it was a good idea to tell everyone she could that she would be accompanying me on this little excursion. The story got to me and during lunch break I went down to, loudly, inform her to put this dinner into my schedule… alone. It was her last act before I demoted her to one of my hospitals instead of our corporate building."

(F/n) snickered, "Wow. Your story's almost worse than mine. I had no idea it was such a chore being good looking."

"You should. After all, you are quite," their eyes locked for a second over the table, grey and (e/c), before he glanced back down at his menu, "... intriguing."

(F/n) couldn't think of a response, but just then Ranka sent her another text and she looked back down at her phone. Unannounced to her, Kyoya's eyes lifted from the printed words in front of him to her. He regarded her for a while, taking in her features and running through every time he could remember Haruhi mentioning her, before shaking his head and looking back down.

"I'm thinking of ordering the Basashi platter. Have you figured out what you'd like to order?"

*Time Skip*

"Hee hee… you… you punched your couch? Really?" (F/n) started laughing a little harder, leaning to the side so she wouldn't face plant the table. Across from her, Kyoya was smiling as well, a few laughs escaping as he continued recounting the tale of how he met the extravagant blond. It seemed like (F/n) found a lot of humor in his stories involving the Host Club, and her laughter made it very difficult for him not to laugh in response. Of course, he'd nearly gone above the appropriate volume when she told him one of the stories from her and Haruhi's youth.

Beneath the table, their feet were straying into the other's territory; the embarrassment of possibly being spotted playing footsie by someone else in the restaurant overshadowed by the desire to see the other person's face flush a shade darker with every shift. A single small plate sat between them, the remaining crumbs from the (f/c) cheesecake scattered across the porcelain. (F/n) knew from their earlier conversation that Kyoya didn't really care much for sweets, so when he had playfully fought her, fork to fork, for a few pieces, she knew it was for her benefit. Or his. Depending on how you looked at it.

(F/n) felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and considered ignoring it, but she knew the consequences of not responding to Ranka and asked for a moment. Pulling the device out, she read the message left on it.

 _Haruhi is at home now and she's so happy! Thank you for your help tonight! Just show me the receipt tomorrow and I'll write the check!_

(F/n) blinked. She looked over at the table Haruhi and Tamaki had been sitting at, what she had assumed, was only a minute ago. They were gone, replaced with another couple who were already giving their waitress their meal orders.

"Kyoya? How long have we been here?"

"Hm?" The boy checked his own phone at his eyebrows lifted, "Almost two hours. Odd. It hasn't felt like that long at all." He asked for the check as soon as their waiter reappeared and in almost no time the two were walking out of the restaurant. Kyoya offered to walk (F/n) home. She couldn't find it in her heart to refuse.

As the two continued chatting, laughter louder now that they weren't inside, (F/n) soon found her left arm curled around Kyoya's right as he led her home 'like a gentleman would'. She only laughed harder, laying her head on his shoulder.

They were almost at the complex when (F/n)'s phone vibrated. It was Ranka… again.

 _(F/n), I know you just finished one date shadow, but would you be willing to do it again? Haruhi just told me Tamaki is taking her to a fair next Saturday and I have to work. I'll give you money for admission._

The (h/c) typed out the word ' _Sure_ ' before lifting her head off of the boy beside her, "Looks like I'm stalking Haruhi and Tamaki again next weekend. Ranka just asked me to follow them at the fair."

"Might I tag along?" Kyoya turned his head and (F/n) was suddenly well aware of the small distance between them, "No doubt Tamaki will ask for back-up again, but I would much rather spend that evening in your company instead."

(F/n) felt she might float off into the sun if Kyoya released her arm at that precise moment, "Sure… I enjoyed spending tonight with you. Another evening like this probably wouldn't kill me."

The ravenet chuckled, much deeper in his chest than before, and slowly changed their linked arms to holding hands, weaving their fingers together.

Unfortunately, they weren't like that for long, coming up to her complex not even a minute later. They stopped at the base of the staircase. (F/n) felt like her heart was going to beat completely out of her chest as Kyoya bowed his head and brought her hand up to kiss the back of it.

"Is that how you say 'thanks for the date' in the 'rich world'?"

"Perhaps."

 _Blushing this much probably isn't good for me. I'm gonna get a headache or something._ (F/n) smiled meekly at the boy before ducking her head and hurrying up the stairs. Something made her stop a short ways up and peek over her shoulder. Kyoya was still standing at the base of the staircase, staring up at her with that small mysterious smile of his. Biting her lower lip for a brief moment, she suddenly turned and went back down.

He raised his left eyebrow as he watched her approach, but that quickly changed as she stopped on the bottom step and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. As soon as she pulled away, (F/n) began wringing the strap of her purse tightly, hoping she hadn't overstepped any boundaries.

"Well… now you know how to say that in the 'common world'. Um… goodnight, Kyoya."

She placed one foot on the second step when her hand was collected into another, one that was much larger and warmer than her own.

"I look forward to seeing you on Saturday, (F/n). Sleep well."

And then he let go and she was running back up to her apartment, positive that if she didn't leave the scene quickly she'd kiss him again before she could stop herself. (F/n) allowed herself to pause when she was halfway behind her apartment door, peeking down at the staircase again. Kyoya was watching her and waved, which she returned before slipping into the apartment. Pressing her eye to the peephole, she watched as the ravenet turned and walked to the curb, holding his phone up to his ear. Soon enough, a fancy car pulled up and he got in, looking up at her apartment one last time before he disappeared inside and the car sped off.

(F/n) pulled away and started laughing, pressing her fingertips to her lips, swearing she could still feel Kyoya's pressed against them.

A fast paced knock sounded at the door and for one crazy moment (F/n) hoped it was Kyoya.

As soon as she opened it, Haruhi was grabbing her shoulders and shaking her, "Since when did you start dating Kyoya Ootori!? I saw you two at the restaurant and figured my dad had hired you but you just _kissed_ him! How do you two even know each other! I thought you were dating that other guy? The cheap one! (F/n) stop grinning like an idiot and answer me!"

(F/n), of course, didn't stop grinning, but she pulled herself out of Haruhi's grip, "Why don't you come inside, Haruhi. Looks like we have some things to talk about. Including those traits you're picking up from your boyfriend."

* * *

 **Ehehehee… I changed a bit at the very end. At first, Ms. Reader-chan was only supposed to give Kyoya a little kiss on the cheek, but then I realized, y'all are reading these for the kisses. Hope you liked the change.**

 **Yeah, I know I said the cheesecake was eaten with forks, and I meant to write that. In Japanese culture, forks, spoons, knives are also used with chopsticks nowadays. Yeah, story research.**

 **If you liked the chapter, please favorite and follow and maybe leave a little review. I enjoy hearing from you all!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	9. A Day at the Fair

**Alright, totally did not have this planned out, but at queenglitch's request I started spinning this idea around in my head. Yeah, yeah, they're supposed to be one-shots, but I suppose you could read them as stand alones if you wanted to... Yeah, they'd work.**

 **I'm saying 'yeah' way too much.**

 **Thank you to Moonlit Mia and queenglitch for your reviews on my last chapter! And emryspotterjackson… you just left a '.' for your review. I wasn't sure if that was on purpose or not...**

 **Also, trying something different for this chapter. You'll see it as soon as you start.**

 **Disclaimer: If I tried to say the Ouran Highschool Host Club was mine, I'd have more trouble than Haruhi has debt.**

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 **(f/a) = Favorite animal**

 **(f/c) = Favorite color**

 **(s/f/c) = Second favorite color**

 **(h/c) = Hair color**

 **(F/n) = First name**

 **Continues from 'Spy Dates'**

* * *

A Day at the Fair

"Master Tamaki? Your friend is here."

"Perfect timing! Please send him in!"

"Of course." Bowing deeply, the young maid backed out of her master's bedroom to let the tall ravenet walk in himself, a perfect opening statement on his lips.

"Tamaki, really, this is pointless."

"No, it is not!" Dropping the smile, the blond marched up to Kyoya and poked his chest, "You bailed on me last time! And now I'm going to make sure that doesn't happen again!"

His friend closed his eyes, and Tamaki knew he was hiding an eyeroll, "For perhaps the seventieth time this week, Tamaki, I did not 'bail'. The reason you didn't see me at the restaurant was so Haruhi wouldn't spot me either. I thought my whole mission was to step in if something went wrong, but to make sure your girlfriend did not see me at the same time?"

"But I didn't see you either!"

Kyoya groaned, "Haruhi wore a black dress with small white polka dots on the skirt and she had a white barrette pinned above her right ear. Also, when the couple seated beside you got up to leave, you were nearly smacked upside the head with the woman's large purse."

Finally, Tamaki relaxed, pulling away from his friend, "Oh… I guess you really were there." He turned back towards his mirror and pulled at the sleeves of his white and grey yukata, missing the way Kyoya reached his hands out in front of him and pretended to strangle the blond.

The ravenet quickly collected himself and began walking towards the door, "Well, if that was the only reason you brought me here, then I'll take my leave-"

"No! Wait! That's not the reason!"

Tamaki slid in between Kyoya and the door, arms splayed and eyes narrowed, "I'm going to be meeting Haruhi at the fair in half an hour, and I want to _actually_ see you there this time! Hide from Haruhi, but I need to be reassured that you've still got my back!"

"Tamaki, really, you're just making my job harder than it needs to be. Look at me." Now it was Kyoya's turn to spread his arms out, drawing attention to his black and dark purple yukata, "Where else would I be going, dressed like this?"

"You're not getting out of it that easy, Mon Ami. Promise me!"

His jaw muscles were twitching from how hard his teeth were clenched, but Kyoya managed to nod, "Fine."

"Ahhh! Thank you, Mon Ami!" The ravenet grunted as he was crushed in a tight hug. A small trail of dark aura started spiraling out from the black haired boy, but his idiot of a best friend simply ignored it. Tamaki didn't even care that he'd likely be hit in the back of the head in a moment. Kyoya would be at the fair the whole time, and he'd be able to spend the whole afternoon with Haruhi without needing to worry.

What could go wrong?

*Time Skip*

"Ha-ru-hi!"

At the sing-song-like calling of her name, a short-haired brunette looked over her shoulder. She smiled softly and waved as her boyfriend jogged through the crowd. Tamaki felt his face flush when he caught sight of her cute pink kimono.

"H-hey, Haruhi! You look lovely!"

The brunette tugged awkwardly at one of the orange flowers dotted across the fabric, "Thank you. I wasn't sure about the pink, but-"

"It looks fantastic on you! You should wear pink more often!"

Haruhi pursed her lips at being interrupted, but decided to let it slide. After all, he had only wanted to compliment her. "Thanks, Tamaki. I like yours, too. Thought… I honestly expected you to try and dress in something a little more… flashy."

Now it was the blond's turn to twist his clothes around awkwardly, "Well, they don't really make 'flashy' yukata. Does it look bad?"

"No, no, ah…" Haruhi internally cursed herself, hoping Tamaki wasn't about to curl up in some far away corner. How embarrassing would that be? "How about we go into the fair? Here, I bought your ticket when I got mine."

Staring at the two little purple stubs in his girlfriend's small hands, Tamaki repressed the urge to whimper. _H_ _e_ was supposed to pay for _her_ ticket. It was probably only in his imagination, but he swore he could see everyone in the general vicinity turning to stare down at him.

 _How dare you make her buy your ticket!_

 _What a terrible boyfriend!_

 _Cheapskate!_

Then he took a deep breath. _Haruhi is a very independent woman. I paid for our dinner last week, so she probably feels like she owes me something. No matter. I can buy her something nice once we're in the fair. Or some food later on?_

Instantly he relaxed. Those training times he'd wrung out of Kyoya on how to keep a cool head were paying off...

Gently taking his ticket from her hands, letting his fingertips trail along her skin, he dropped his voice, "Thank you." Noting the light blush on his girlfriend's cheeks, Tamaki smirked and offered his elbow, "Shall we?"

Haruhi rolled her eyes, but took the offered appendage and they began walking towards the entrance. Suddenly the nerves came back and Tamaki risked a glance over his left shoulder. Surprisingly, he spotted Kyoya right away. Maybe it was the purple band around his yukata? The ravenet was standing in line to purchase his own ticket, talking with the girl standing behind him.

Tamaki relaxes.

*Time Skip*

"So… what would you like to do first?"

"I don't really know. I've never been to a festival like this before."

Haruhi looked up at Tamaki, but he didn't look like he was pulling her leg, "Really? Wow. Um… we could just browse the games for now, but we probably shouldn't play anything at first. On the off chance we do win a prize, I don't really want to carry it around for the next few hours."

The blond agreed and they began walking up and down the aisles of booths. There were a few scooping games, at least three 'lottery' games, and Tamaki almost lost his self control at the sight of a cork shooting game. He'd never seen so many stuffed toys in one place… though that was probably because he'd never been in Honey-senpai's room before, but he wanted one! He wanted to win one and give it to Haruhi and be her hero!

Just before he snapped, a tight tug on his arm brought the blond back to the real world. Haruhi was frowning up at him, "Maybe we should go grab something to eat instead. You were getting that crazy look in your eyes."

Tamaki went to deny ever even considering going against her wishes, but just then he spotted Kyoya out of the corner of his eye. The ravenet was standing to the side of a ring toss they had just passed. And the same girl Tamaki had seen earlier was with him. She was throwing a few rings at a tiny stuffed (f/a), happily cheering when a single ring just barely caught its target. Kyoya smirked at her celebration.

A strange sour feeling settled in Tamaki's lower stomach. _That poor girl._ He could only hope that his friend would be kind to the girl who was following him around, acting all enamoured.

"Tamaki?"

"Ah... yeah. I'm sorry. I just… really wanted to win you something."

Haruhi smiled and tugged his arm a little, "You can win me something later, once we're getting ready to leave. But what about something to eat instead? I'd really like a chocolate covered banana… do you think they serve them with rainbow sprinkles around here?"

Instantly Tamaki was able to shove his best friend out of his mind, "Let's go see!" Then he ran off, dragging Haruhi behind him.

*Time Skip*

Fifteen minutes later, the two were happily eating their chocolate bananas on a stick. Sitting at an empty picnic table, Tamaki was quick to ask about Haruhi's Friday classes. Even though it was still technically summer break, Haruhi had signed up to take some of her classes over the summer. Typical Haruhi. It was just an Introduction to Ethics and a Criminal Procedure class, but they were both on every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. That was part of the reason Tamaki asked for a lot of Saturday dates, to make up for all of that lost time when she was in class.

Haruhi immediately brightened, "We got our tests back in my Ethics class! I got a perfect score!" As the brunette started chattering about everything else that had happened, Tamaki leaned his elbows on the table and just listened. While he wasn't particularly interested in the same stuff she was, it was always a nice change to see Haruhi honestly interested and involved and excited about something. Back in high school, she hadn't allowed herself to really enjoy herself, in anything. Whatever she did, even under her own free will, she didn't seem to enjoy it.

Now, however, she enjoyed learning. Enjoyed studying. Enjoyed spending time with Tamaki and their other friends from high school. It had been an interesting four years watching as the brunette slowly start to have fun with what she was passionate about, and to be able to express said passion. That was perhaps one of the many things that got Ranka to trust Tamaki in the first place.

"Tamaki! Are you even listening?"

"Of course I am! You just got a new project in your Criminal Procedure course! Did your professor let you chose your own partners?"

The brunette blinked, as if surprised he actually had been paying attention, but the smile was worth the sting of her lack of faith, "Yeah. Nothing's finalized until Monday, but at least half of the class has asked to be my partner. I guess they know who got the highest score on the midterm."

Tamaki shook his head, "You're far too popular."

At that statement, Haruhi laughed and stood up, "I'll go throw our garbage away, then we can look around the rest of the fair for something to do. Sound good?"

"Of course!"

The brunette walked away and Tamaki quickly stood up and looked around. He wondered if Kyoya was still lingering around the games or if- there he is!

Kyoya was standing with his back to Tamaki, waiting in line at a food truck. And while it was a little surprising to see his friend willing to actually eat food from a commoner's fair, Tamaki was incredibly thankful that his best friend had _actually_ followed his instructions from earlier. He should've realized he would always be able to trust…

The girl was still there.

She was hanging back around another empty picnic table, holding the stuffed (f/a) to her chest, but it was obvious she was watching Kyoya as he moved closer to the truck. Tamaki was confused, and more than a little concerned, but he finally took a closer look at the girl.

He didn't recognize her from anywhere, though it looked like she was around his age. She was very pretty, as far as Tamaki could tell. Wearing a (f/c) kimono with (s/f/c) flowers dotting the fabric to match the (s/f/c) ornamental butterfly holding her (h/c) hair up, Tamaki couldn't help but admit she was actually quite beautiful. Not his type, of course, but still an eye catcher.

He couldn't tell her eye color from this distance, but Tamaki _was_ able to tell what she was focused on… which was his best friend. _Stalker? Admirer?_ The blond's thoughts scattered when Kyoya suddenly exited the line, holding a small plate with a pile of takoyaki stacked on top of it. The ravenet didn't look surprised to see the girl watching him, walking right up to her table and sitting across from her.

Tamaki's jaw dropped when Kyoya lifted one of the fried balls of squid in a pair of chopsticks and held it out for the (h/c) haired girl. She giggled before eating it. Kyoya smirked at the girl before eating one of the fried balls himself.

The blond's vision was thankfully blocked by Haruhi's return. She was looking at him funny, but the blond didn't allow her to ask any questions. "Would you like to go check out the masks they're selling? I thought I saw a few with roses attached to them... Let's see if they have all of our colors!"

Haruhi snorted, "You're weird… but I can't think of anything else to do. Let's go."

Her boyfriend nodded, but as they walked away he cast one last look over his shoulder. He could only hope Kyoya would let the girl down easy at the end of the night when she asked when they'd see each other again."

*Time Skip*

Tamaki has made a _huge_ mistake.

At first, he thought he was making the right decision, asking Kyoya to pop up here and there over the course of the evening. But now every time he saw his best friend he felt like he was going to be sick.

First of all, if Tamaki was seeing Kyoya everywhere, eventually _Haruhi_ would see him as well. And, knowing his girlfriend, once she saw Kyoya and got mad at him for interrupting their date, she'd quickly figure out that Tamaki had invited him. So, not only would Haruhi be mad at Kyoya… she'd get mad at _him._

And that wasn't even the whole problem. On top of seeing Kyoya everywhere, he was always beside the girl from earlier. Tamaki would've _never_ asked Kyoya to come along if he knew an innocent girl would have gotten caught in the cross-hairs. It was just something he had never expected Kyoya to do...

About an hour after the incident at the food trucks, Tamaki was nearly desperate to escape. He had just barely managed to run out of the 'Hall of Mirrors' when he saw the ferris wheel on the boardwalk light up. It had been briefly drawn in with the rest of the fair for the evening, and Tamaki almost collapsed with relief. Even _if_ Kyoya and the girl followed them, there was no way Haruhi would be able to see them from another car.

And… some alone time with Haruhi would be appreciated.

His girlfriend, of course, was easy to convince. She liked ferris wheels.

So, for twenty minutes, the two of them walked through the fair, stood in line, and Tamaki prayed that Kyoya had not followed. Of course, with the way the line was set up, he couldn't really see forwards or backwards who else had gotten in line. Still, he couldn't help but hope beyond hope the mystery girl had a fear of heights or something and Kyoya wouldn't be able to convince her to join him on the Ferris wheel.

He needed a break from his friend.

Finally, the two of them crawled into a car and were slowly rotated forward. Tamaki sighed and leaned back in his seat. _Next time, I'm asking Kyoya to stay as far away as possible. It's not like I've ever needed him on one of these dates._

The wheel rotated again before stopping, letting more people off and back on. This happened a few more times until they finally stopped just one notch below the top. Haruhi leaned forward, staring across the bay. Suddenly, she took Tamaki's hand and shook it, "Tamaki… look! You can see the rainbow bridge from here! It's all lit up!"

"Really?"

The blond leaned forward and sure enough, he saw two arches lit up in a rainbow far across the water.

"Wow…" Wondering what else he could see from this height, he looked around, back at the fair. He hadn't been planning to look at the other carts. After all, there weren't many he could see into. But there was one...

Tamaki almost smashed his face against the bar in front of him. Of _course_ Kyoya would be on the ferris wheel. And of _course_ that girl would be with him.

 _Thank goodness Haruhi is nearsighted or I'd have a lot of explaining to do._ He glanced nervously at his girlfriend. Thankfully she was more interested in looking out as far as she could rather than back at the fair they'd been at for the past few hours, so Tamaki wasn't especially concerned about her turning around.

Deciding now would be a good time to try and convince Kyoya that he could drop the charade, Tamaki whipped his head around to shoot a particularly nasty glare at his best friend. Instead, his expression grows slack and his jaw drops… again.

It's a little hard to tell exactly what's going on. They are pretty far away after all. But… if Tamaki wasn't mistaken… it looked like the two sitting over in the other cart were… kissing. Quite passionately, too, it would seem.

The blond stared for a moment longer before facing the front of the car, ears burning. He could practically _hear_ the twins chanting ' _Pervert_ ' in his ear, but at the same time Tamaki couldn't really care much about what some of his other friends might think of him. He was far too preoccupied with this new information.

As the Ferris wheel began moving again, Tamaki felt his brain chug out a possibility.

 _Is Kyoya… also on a date?_

*Time Skip*

"Tamaki? Are you alright? You really look sick."

Shaking his head, which wasn't the best option, Tamaki tried to focus in on the task at hand, "No. No, I'm fine. It's just… the smell of fish."

Haruhi nodded, understanding his reasoning, before looking down at the pool of koi swimming below her hands. She couldn't remember a single time she had ever won a fish-scooping game, but it was always a little fun to try. Fun enough, at least, that she didn't notice how her boyfriend was staring into space again.

The inside of Tamaki's head was nowhere near as calm as his outside appearance. His mind was spinning in circles. When had Kyoya gotten a girlfriend? Why didn't he tell him? Why had Kyoya come out to the fair instead of just saying 'I'm going out with my girlfriend'? Why the secrecy? Is it an arranged marriage? Was he just a terrible friend for not realizing?

"Tamaki!"

The blond jolted, his scoop bursting out of the water. The paper he should've been using to scoop up a pretty little fish had already dissolved from its extended stay in the liquid. Tamaki stared at the plastic still in his hand, then at Haruhi. Now she looked concerned.

"Sorry, waited too long."

The brunette narrowed her eyes, "Right… um, I don't think either of us are going to win anything from this game before the firework show. Maybe we can try one of the lottery games?"

Tamaki nodded. That was a simple game.

The two stood up and Haruhi took their plastic scoops back up to the counter. While she was gone, Tamaki looked around and sure enough, there was Kyoya and the (h/c) haired girl. By now the blond had just given up on being surprised about seeing the two around all evening. At least they're standing off in the shadows, watching a little fish swim around in a bag held up between them. The girl is smiling at the way the fish nudges her fingers through the bag, and Kyoya just watching her.

Tamaki tilted his head. Kyoya looked so… centered. It was more than his usual outward projection of calmness, he looked like he was genuinely enjoying his time just staring at the girl who stared at her new fish.

On a short tangent, Tamaki wondered which one of them had won the fish.

Turning back towards Haruhi, the blond gently took her hand and began walking towards the closest 'lottery' game he remembered seeing. But in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but wonder… had Kyoya _ever_ planned to tell him?

*Time Skip*

 _Boom! Ba-boom! Crack! Boom boom! Whee~_

Despite everything that had happened over the course of the day, Tamaki couldn't help but feel a sort of peace as he stared up at the sky. Bright reds and purples and greens reflected off his wide eyes, a hand curled around Haruhi's as she stood beside him. Parting his gaze from the sky, he looked down as his girlfriend and saw the little dolphin plushie held securely under her arm.

It was the perfect ending to the perfect day.

If only Kyoya and the mysterious girl weren't standing exactly ten steps in front of them.

Tamaki was begging right, left, and center that Haruhi would be so absorbed in watching the fireworks that she wouldn't see Kyoya. Tamaki was already preparing his 'Kyoya Ootori you have a lot to explain' speech.

Unfortunately, while his mind wandered, his grip had unknowingly tightened. Haruhi looked down at her hand, which was now in an uncomfortably tight grip, up at her boyfriend's tight face, and in the direction he was staring out at. She wasn't particularly surprised.

Leaning to the left a little, she nudged his side. Tamaki's shoulders jumped as he was pulled out of whatever mental mind theater he'd been in and looked down at the brunette in curiosity. It was extremely loud with the fireworks going off, but at least they provided enough light for them to see each other.

Smirking, Haruhi leaned up to the right side of his face and asked, loudly so he could hear, "So you've noticed Kyoya-senpai and (F/n) following us around, too?"

"What?!"

Frowning, she went to ask the question again, but Tamaki pulled away. One look at his face told her that he had understood her question perfectly.

She tilted her head, "What's wrong?"

"You know her?"

"Yeah! She's my neighbor! Dad had her follow us at the restaurant last week! She met Kyoya-senpai there and I think they're officially a couple as of tonight!" Tamaki's mouth gapes like the fish he had been trying to catch earlier. Then his eyes narrow, but Haruhi quickly grabs his hand again, "You can yell and scream at him all you want tomorrow, but for now, let them enjoy themselves! And you're not allowed to skip out at the end of our date!"

Making sure he understood that what she said was final, Haruhi turned and looked back up at the sky. Briefly, she wonders if Tamaki will just drag her along to confront the other couple, but she shouldn't have worried. Her hand is let go so the blond can wrap his arm around her shoulders instead, pulling her closer. She risked a glance up at him, but he's also looking up at the grand finale.

In the light of the fireworks going off in rapid-fire succession, Haruhi can easily make out the couple standing a little ways in front of them. (F/n) has her left arm tucked up against her chest, so Haruhi can only imaging she's holding both the toy she won earlier and her fish, while her right hand is tightly woven with Kyoya's. The tall boy also looks away from the show, giving (F/n) a warm smile she completely misses, and turns his head back towards the sky.

 _If I wasn't completely terrified of how Tamaki and Kyoya-senpai would behave, I might've suggested a double date._

* * *

 **Tamaki's P.O.V. for a KyoyaxReader insert! Because why not?**

 **Eh… I don't really know if you have to pay to enter a Japanese fair… but let's not research that and say you do. But you can see the Rainbow bridge from Daikanransha (the Ferris wheel they were on), and it's supposed to be a fantastic view!**

 **If you liked, please favorite, follow, and leave a little review!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	10. First Time for Everything

**So, there is a blatant lack of Male!reader x Kyoya stories on the internet, and I've finally decided to write one myself. But I totally blame my desire to write a Male!reader NOW of all times on reading all the Blitzstone moments from Magnus Chase 'The Hammer of Thor'. Seriously, that dwarf and elf are relationship goals.**

 **Thank you to queenglitch, emryspotterjackson, DarkPurpleTomBoy, and a guest for your reviews!**

 **Disclaimer: No, I don't claim OHSHC as my own. Or its characters. Nor do I claim that Bisco Hatori wrote out Kyoya's character to be perceived as gay. But for now, let's all just pretend.**

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 **Also, dear reader, this story takes place in the (hopefully near) future where same-sex marriage is recognized in Japan.**

 **(h/c) = Hair color**

 **(e/c) = Eye color**

 **(L/n) = Last name**

 **(M/n) = Male name (unless you're a guy… then it's just your first name)**

 **(B/f/n) = Best friend's name (if your best friend is a girl, then it's her name, if not, then they were genderswapped too)**

* * *

First Time for Everything

For anyone who knew Kyoya Ootori, professional or otherwise, the very last place they'd ever expect to find him would be at that one dance club just downtown from his University. The one with the Pride flag hanging just above the front doors for all to see.

It wasn't the biggest secret in the world that the youngest Ootori boy was gay. Hardly the barest gossip material. Nobody really paid a lot of attention to it. Sure, it was whispered behind hands when he spoke to some of his male classmates, but that was it. No one dared to suggest that his sexual preference made him incapable of running his family's company. There were very few who would've actually believed such a bigoted statement, besides.

Then again, they also never questioned when he would finally settle down with a nice husband. Especially if his father was within hearing distance.

Kyoya himself wasn't all that bothered by the whispers and rumors that buzzed around his personal life. He had never held stranger's opinions of him or his decisions in the highest regard, anyways. And if anyone _did_ step over the line, he was prepared to hear them out, and afterwards completely ruin their name. His friend, Hikaru Hitachiin, had once used a phrase to describe Kyoya's method for handling bigots:

'Do no harm, but take no shit.'

Kyoya felt it fit his sentiments accurately enough.

Of course, despite his mentality to not care if strangers or otherwise knew of his sexuality, it had still taken him an embarrassingly long time to work up enough courage to actually enter the dance club he'd had his eye on for the past few months.

It was just as noisy as he had imagined it. Loud, bass-heavy music that made his chest ache seemed to repeat on loop, not a single difference between one song and the next that the ravenet could place. Sweaty bodies pressed in close to one another on the dance floor, strangers and friends who had no regard for personal space or perhaps just too drunk to care. Almost every table in the establishment was either occupied, or had coats and purses thrown all over the chairs so their owners could dance their hearts out, leaving their designated driver to sit alone with a glass of water and their eyes on their friends.

Not all of it was bad, of course, or else Kyoya would've left the moment he walked in. The architecture was well done. Even though it was undoubtedly crowded, the building felt… open. Perhaps it was because the club was basically one big room. There was the entrance, which was nice and wide and had a few couches for those who didn't want to 'get the party started' until everyone in their group had arrived, and came from an era when it wasn't necessarily safe to wait for everyone _outside_. Then you walked past that and the huge bar started on the left side of the building. There was a long line of stools lined up along the counter, and it was at one of those stools that Kyoya was sitting at as he took in the rest of the room.

Behind his back, mirroring the length of the bar, were all of the group-booths that could easily fit eight people. More if they squeezed in or a couple shared the same spot. Then, the room opened up even wider once the bar curled into a corner. To the left of the larger space was the dance floor, and to the right were far more tables and booths than Kyoya could care to try counting. It was also very dim save for the lights overhanging each table, the bar counter, and the neon colors flashing all over the dance floor. Occasionally when the bathroom doors opened, a little extra light spilled in, but it wasn't much.

Kyoya could appreciate the design, for sure, but what had perhaps kept Kyoya from just turning back around as soon as his foot touched black and gold tile, was the sense of acceptance the place held.

Sometimes, when he had the luck of finding another member of the LGBT+ community to simply talk with, Kyoya would be shocked at how little regard they had for some of their fellow members.

He had been told on numerous occasions that he should encourage his bisexual best friend to 'fully come out of the closet', despite the fact that Tamaki had been in a relationship with his girlfriend for four years running. Or, that Kyoya should call said girlfriend 'they/them' because, even though she said she preferred 'she/her/hers', since she was non-binary it was disrespectful to call Haruhi by female pronouns. Or, perhaps the best one of them all, was when someone had the _audacity_ to suggest that both members of the couple were just saying they were bisexual/non-binary so he wouldn't feel awkward by being the only 'gay' person in the group, and that they were _really sorry_ but bisexuality and non-binary people weren't really a thing.

To say the least, he'd had a _field_ day with that last person.

But back to the present. Kyoya had stuck around because, hung up all over the walls were not only rainbow flags, but there were also flags in the colors for demisexuality, asexuality, bisexuality, pansexuality, transgender… you name it, they had it. By the front door, as soon as you walked in, you would be marked on the back of your hand. And while they did have the usual black 'X' on the left hand for those under the age of 20, the right hand had a more specific job. Glow markers that helped specify if you were looking for a male, female, either, no gender in particular or lack thereof in a partner, if you were looking _at all_ , and what pronouns you preferred. Of course, you could choose whether or not to have your hand marked at all, or which information you wanted broadcasted, but it was a fairly adaptive and effective system.

All of this was almost overwhelming for Kyoya. After living in a not-100%-accepting home and feeling the need to defend not only himself but his close friends at every turn, it was a nice feeling to step into a place where everything was just… okay. Nobody said, at least out loud, that someone was wrong or faking it. If they did, it was likely they'd be shut down _hard_ _._ The club had a reputation to uphold, which Kyoya could respect.

And all of this is what had lead to Kyoya sitting alone at the bar, a small Thai Bomber martini is his right hand -which displayed a single dark blue line that glowed faintly in the dim light- as he quietly observed the scene… as he had been for the past hour or so. He still wasn't completely sure about his stance on the place. It was nice, he supposed. Clean, too. Perhaps not totally his style or taste in music, but not some place he would write off immediately, either.

Kyoya crinkled his nose a little when a redhead shorter than himself quickly darted for a table, waving frantically at his friends and leaving behind a trail of very strong cologne that lingered. Yes… the smell of the building was in a neutral zone for the upper-class gentleman. It was the smell of sweat, which was not great but oddly not unpleasant at the same time, mixed with different perfumes, colognes, body sprays and… something muskier. The ravenet's cheeks had brightened very subtly when he'd tried to come up with possibilities for that last scent, so it went unnamed for now.

"Another round?" A bartender who was passing by shot Kyoya and his drink a teasing smirk before continuing on his way. Kyoya smirked to himself before taking a small sip. He pulled the glass away and noted how he might've finally drained the first half of it. He was doing great. Half a drink in the space of a hour.

Kyoya licked a drop off of his lower lip, savoring the spicy kick. He'd been pleased to learn that the bar offered spicy drinks along with the typical sweet or normal alcohol, and the Thai bomber was tasty. A drink he wouldn't mind having again. But with such a high alcohol content in the one martini, Kyoya was making sure to pace himself _really slowly_. He was nothing if not cautious. Still, with the previously mentioned alcohol content, the half of the drink already in his system had given him a nice buzz. The loud pounding music wasn't as grating on his nerves as it had been earlier.

But that didn't mean he was suddenly going to throw his jacket onto the ground and join the mass of sweaty flesh on the dance floor, though.

His grey eyes were suddenly staring directly in front of his, his shoulders stiffening as his mind raced. Half of it tried to hold onto that image of him abandoning all pretense and try to enjoy what this place was practically begging him to do, while the other stuck with the reason he'd used to work up his courage just outside the front doors: He wasn't here to dance or catch anyone's eye, just to get a feel for the place. Have a drink, maybe two, and later decide whether to come back again.

But, in that other half of his mind, the really annoying and stubborn half, Kyoya knew he had come here to look at the eligible guys.

When he was in one of his classes, or at a business dinner, Kyoya flat out refused to let his mind be distracted with the aesthetically pleasing men he spotted here and there. No need to kid himself, and he knew he'd accomplish nothing but making someone uncomfortable. But _here?_ He could stare shamelessly and to his heart's content if he really wanted to. There was a high possibility that the men who noticed would be attracted to him as well. He'd been told many times that he was very easy on the eyes by the many girls who'd requested him at his club back in high school.

Kyoya could only hope the same could be said for the guys.

Except that wasn't something he was used to. Only once had a boy ever flirted with him, and he ended up becoming Kyoya's best friend… after Kyoya had yelled and screamed and contemplated premeditated murder.

Kyoya raised his glass to his lips once again, enjoying the hot fire erupting along his tongue and down his throat. Maybe he should leave? He'd gotten all the information he needed. This was a nice little club, he might come back again next week…

But the mental image of his father's amused smirk when his young, gay son tried to slip back into the house after a failed attempt at 'clubbing' kept him seated.

Kyoya's nose scrunched up in distaste. Didn't his father realize it was _his_ fault Kyoya was even here at all? If he didn't want Kyoya to associate himself and his family's name with an honest-to-god gay club, then he should try to find other eligible gay bachelors in their 'upper crust' world to arrange a marriage with. Kyoya wouldn't exactly be that upset, it would take some of the pressure off his shoulders. Surely there were some his father knew of?

Apparently not.

Still, Kyoya refused to make a big issue out of it. He was quite used to his family ignoring him day-in and day-out, even as the family's heir. And it could've easily been so much worse.

"A lot on your mind?"

Kyoya started, drink sloshing around in his glass but thankfully not spilling.

While his mind had been elsewhere, another club-goer had appeared at his side. The man smiled kindly at Kyoya before looking forward again, waving down one of the many bartenders. He ordered a Grasshopper and the bartender had moved away to prepare the drink before Kyoya found his tongue again.

"I suppose you could say that."

"He speaks!" The (h/c) laughed, shooting another big smile in Kyoya's direction, "I was beginning to wonder if you had even heard me!"

"Well, it is pretty loud in here."

The man snorted, his broad shoulders hunching a little before looking to his right at the dance floor. Men and women were dancing like crazy in the open space, bright colors flashing sporadically all around them in time with the music. Kyoya watched in somewhat patient interest as a couple suddenly peeled away from the crowd, giggling and playfully chasing each other back to their table. The ravenet cocked an eyebrow, hoping he'd never be that drunk while in the presence of complete strangers.

"One Grasshopper, (M/n). It's already been placed on your tab." The female bartender set the drink on the counter with a smile before hurrying down to the other side of the booth where she had been low-key flirting with another patron.

The stranger picked up the drink and took a small sip, turning around so his back was pressed against the edge of the counter. Kyoya studied him for a moment. His (h/c) hair, (e/c) eyes, and… Kyoya's eyes suddenly took in everything about the other man's appearance… he was quite handsome, actually. His gaze dropped to the man's right hand, but quickly redirected himself when the (h/c) spoke again.

"So, are you here by yourself?"

Kyoya blinked at the question, and suddenly his guard went up. His grip on his drink tightened. He hadn't seen the man look at the color on his own hand… but if he had and knew Kyoya's sexuality-

The man looked panicked, though, backing away a half-step, "Wait, wait, that came out wrong! I swear I'm not gonna roofie you or anything! I was just conc- I mean, curious! I've never seen you around before, and you've been here for a whole hour without talking to anyone! I wasn't sure if you'd been brought here and then ditched… or something."

The man's face changed into a nice shade of pink as he went back to his mint-green drink. It took Kyoya a moment to regain his ability to speak. After all, how did you continue a conversation with a man trying to flirt with you? That's what this was, right? Flirting?

He looked at the back of the man's hand. _Well… looks like I'm in his pond, too._ For some reason, that made Kyoya feel a little better.

Falling back to his old high school habits, Kyoya leaned his elbows on the countertop and offered a well-practiced smirk, "I am alone tonight. And while I don't think that will change by the time I'm going home…" he let his grey eyes meet with the (e/c) ones that had returned to him, "I've certainly found a reason to come back next week."

Instead of the blush he had expected, Kyoya was gifted with that dazzling smile once again. It was a sincere smile. He liked it.

"Is that so? Well, I should probably go thank whoever convinced you. You know, if I can hide my jealousy for that long. Would you mind sharing a description?"

"I'd much rather a name."

Those (e/c) eyes sparkled playfully in the dim light before he turned fully to face the ravenet. It was at this moment Kyoya's brain helpfully supplied that his new "friend" was taller than him by a few centimeters. The thought made him feel... strange. He also noted, half-heartedly, that his original plan had fallen to pieces without so much as a fight. Not that he particularly minded, considering his present company.

The man stepped back and bowed a little, skillfully balancing his drink so it wouldn't spill, "(M/n) (L/n), at your service."

Kyoya smirked appreciatively at the little ending tacked on to the greeting, "Kyoya Ootori… at yours."

The man, (M/n), grinned at Kyoya once again before a loud voice called out from behind him. "(M/n)!" A pretty girl suddenly latched herself onto (M/n)'s arm. The boy's smile disappeared. "Come on! Get on the dance floor you dummy!"

" _(B/f/n), go away!_ " He tried to shake her off, but she refused to let go. She giggled, grabbing his drink from his hand and taking a quick sip before (M/n) could snatch it away, placing it on the counter out of her reach. Kyoya was a little grateful to him for that, the girl looked like she was already pretty drunk. Still, she had quite a grip on (M/n)'s…

Kyoya's eyes flicked away from tracing the well-defined muscles of (M/n)'s forearms, blushing at the direction his mind had just wandered down.

"It's _your_ birthday party, you stupid head. Which means it's _my_ job to get my best friend to show off his moves for all the hot men in this place. Maybe you'll finally get laid…"

" _(B/f/n)!_ " It was clear (M/n) was mortified. Kyoya, however, was much more interested in a different part of the girl's outburst.

"It's your birthday?"

(M/n) chuckled, running his free hand through his hair, making it beautifully tousled, "Yeah. My 22nd. How old are you?"

"21."

The (h/c) was in the process of smiling again, when his best friend tugged on his arm, "(M/n), stop procrastinating!" The shorter girl began dragging (M/n) away. He struggled, looking over at Kyoya for help, but the ravenet simply smirked and took a sip of his drink.

But, upon noticing Kyoya wasn't offended or entirely upset at their interruption, (M/n) managed another smile before grabbing his drink from the counter and downing it.

"I think I'm gonna need that."

A laugh escaped Kyoya before he could catch it. He stopped almost immediately, surprise etched all over his face, but (M/n) grinned just before he vanished into the crowd of dancing people.

The ravenet turned back towards the countertop, his face feeling unnaturally warm. What was _that?_ Did a cute guy really just come up and _flirt_ with him? Kyoya was surprised. He thought he'd been putting out that 'don't-talk-to-me' vibe pretty strongly… Perhaps that only affected the female population? Or did that just not work when it was pretty obvious what gender he preferred?

Still, he couldn't deny that he had greatly enjoyed talking to (M/n)... a lot, actually. And, to steal a particular phrase, (M/n) was 'easy on the eyes'.

Glancing back towards the dance floor, he spotted a familiar head of (h/c) hair just above the crowd. Unfortunately, he couldn't tell who (M/n) was dancing with. If there was some random guy standing behind, or in front of Kyoya's conversation partner, hands all over-

"Is this seat taken?"

Another man quickly moved into Kyoya's line of sight, sliding onto the empty bar stool without waiting for an answer. He was also smiling at Kyoya just like (M/n) had been… but it wasn't like (M/n)'s smile. This smile was more… predatory. He hadn't come up here for a drink.

"It looks like it is now." Kyoya faced forward again, taking another sip of the martini. It was suddenly being drained a lot faster than it had been earlier.

"Cute drink. Which one is it?"

 _Cute?_ Kyoya bristled, "The Thai Bomber."

The blond raised his eyebrows, "Oh. So you _can_ handle your alcohol. And a spice lover, too? That's rare around here." Kyoya didn't respond, hoping the guy would just go away. He didn't really want to cause a scene.

"So… I haven't seen you around here before. First timer?" Kyoya jerked his right leg closer to his left, away from the other man's foot. Above the countertop was the same story, the blond slowly moving further into Kyoya's personal space.

"Could you move back, please? I would hate to have to call on my bodyguards."

At that statement, the blond laughed. But again, Kyoya couldn't help but note how it wasn't anything like (M/n)'s. For one thing, this guy's laugh set his teeth on edge, whereas (M/n)'s had given him gentle butterflies in his stomach. Kyoya was pulled out of that pleasant memory when a strong hand clasped onto his wrist, refusing to let him move.

"Bodyguards, huh? That's certainly a new one. But if you're trying to play hard to get, I should probably tell you that I don't appreciate playing those kind of games."

"Let go of me!"

Kyoya twisted his arm, trying to escape the grip and spilling his martini all over the counter in the process, but the blond was much stronger than he looked. For a split second, Kyoya felt a seed of panic take root. He had been bluffing before… his bodyguards weren't in the building. They were with his limousine, wherever that was parked at. He'd told them to stay away so no one would hit on them and cause a fight or argument to break out. But now he regretted his decision. If Kyoya wanted their help, he'd have to call them using his cell phone, which was in his right pants pocket. The blond was holding his right hand, and if Kyoya tried to go for it with his left, he'd probably grab that hand, too. He was trapped.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kyoya spotted a bartender rushing over, but before the woman could even speak-

The blond's head was forcibly slammed against the countertop.

He let out a pained shout and released Kyoya's wrist, allowing the ravenet to scramble off his stool. He looked up at his defender and blinked in surprise.

"(M/n)?"

The (h/c) didn't look up at Kyoya, preferring to glare dangerously at the other man cupping his nose. "Didn't you hear him, Fucker? He told you to let go."

The blond cussed loudly, looking down at his blood-covered hand before bringing it back up to his nose. "What the fu…" He finally looked up at his attacker. (M/n) was at least a head taller than him, and his glare was _frightening._ The blond swallowed.

"Leave."

The blond scampered away, grabbing a handful of napkins as he did. Kyoya was mildly grateful that (M/n) chose to glare after the man instead of instantly checking up on him. He was still shivering a bit, but not just from the way the blond had grabbed him. (M/n)'s voice had dropped a whole octave when he gave that final command, and suddenly Kyoya understood why his friend Takashi Morinozuka had been so popular back in high school. That deep voice didn't come out often, but when it did…

"You alright?"

Kyoya didn't know exactly when (M/n) had gotten so close to him, but his heart jumped into his throat when he craned his head back a little to meet those (e/c) eyes. Now that they were both standing, their height difference was _that_ much more pronounced.

(E/c) eyes swept Kyoya's form up and down before settling on his wrist, "May I?"

Not trusting his mouth at the moment, the ravenet simply lifted his right arm for inspection. Gentle fingers carefully pushed Kyoya's jacket sleeve away from his wrist, making him shiver once again. (M/n) gave him a silent 'I'm sorry' look, like the shiver was a _bad_ sign, before going back to his original task. The (h/c) was barely touching Kyoya's pale skin as he checked for bruises, but it was a far more intimate act than he had ever experienced before.

"I don't think you'll bruise up that badly. Just try to keep a distance from Jackasses for a while, okay?"

"No one's ever done that for me before."

(M/n) raised an eyebrow as Kyoya mentally facepalmed. _Wow, way to go Ootori. What happened to that silver tongue of yours?_

Oh, the cherry on top: His inner monologue was starting to sound like the twins.

"Done what? Defend you from a complete Dick or smash said Dick's head into a countertop?"

"Ah… the second one… but I've never had someone do that _to_ me, either."

(M/n) looked surprised, "Really? You've never had anyone hit on you like that before?"

A shake of the head.

"Wow…"

"Why so surprised?"

"I'm just… I assumed…"

"That I only attracted Assholes?"

"No!" (M/n) looked almost panicked again, "No, I mean… I figured that you got hit on a lot… and I was surprised that was your first time dealing with someone like that."

Kyoya blinked, quickly realizing his wrist was still lightly clasped between the (h/c)'s hands, "I'm not usually the one being hit on. My first time here, remember?"

"Even so, with your looks-" (M/n) cut himself off, dropping Kyoya's arm like he'd been burned, "I-I just meant that… I'm pretty sure every guy in this room thinks you're really attractive, and even (B/f/n) said you were hot, and she's as gay as they come! Not that you're just a pretty face, you seem like a smart guy- I mean-!" As (M/n) started stumbling over his words, Kyoya couldn't help but wish he hadn't let go of his arm.

"Oh, for fucks sake!" The two men looked over the bar counter where the bartender who had rushed over to help earlier a millennia ago stood, her arms crossed, "(M/n), just ask him for a dance already. Then make-out against the back wall. You're both thinking it."

She walked away, leaving the two surrounded by awkwardness.

"Well… she certainly doesn't waste any words."

"No. No she doesn't." (M/n)'s face was complete red, all the way up to his ears and down his neck. Kyoya felt a strange temptation to discover exactly how far down it went, but he pulled himself out of that line of thought. For the moment.

The (h/c) looked over at Kyoya, an apology in his eyes, but Kyoya spoke first.

"Aren't you going to ask me for a dance?"

(M/n)'s jaw dropped. Closed. Then somehow managed the words, "You… you want to dance with me?"

Kyoya cocked an eyebrow, "That's a strange way to ask, but I suppose it gets the message across. The answer is yes, by the way."

"Ah…haha…" The (h/c) rubbed at the back of his head, arm muscles catching Kyoya's eye once again before he was captured in a surprisingly intense gaze, "Well, shall we?"

Kyoya smirked, shedding his jacket, "If you have a place I can leave this, then you can teach me exactly how two might dance together at a _club._ "

(M/n)'s eyes lit up with excitement.

* * *

 **Ah…. um… okay. Not… terrible. To be honest, I thought a lot about adding in that 'making-out' the bartender suggested, but then I decided to let your imaginations deal with that. Same thing with the Uke and Seme stuff. I didn't clarify anything, but dropped a few hints as to my preference. Still, whatever you want, this story works out just fine.**

 **Also, another new thing that happened: I did no research on the bar. I dunno about any of the real bars in Japan, or if there is one super popular one in Bunkyo, but I just decided to let my imagination run wild. And, um, as it's probably clear to you by now, I have** _ **never**_ **, in my** _ **life,**_ **actually been in a club before. Can't drink for another few years, and I have no friends, so what's the point? This is kinda just… what I sort of expect… and what I might kinda hope for my first time. So, no flames on the building or the atmosphere. Just… enjoy the story. Please.**

 **Same goes for the characters. I can't tell if Kyoya was too OOC or if reader-chan flip-flopped too much between being a cinnamon roll and a badass motherf*cker, but I think I did okay for my first time. Tried my best not to stick to stereotypes, and I apologize if I somehow offended someone, I'm telling you it's not on purpose. Let me know what I did, and I'll fix it.**

 **Let me know what you thought about it! If you liked, please favorite and follow and leave a little review! I adore reviews!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	11. Good Morning, (Ln)-sensei Part 1

**Well... that election could've gone better. Just so you all know, I'm not gonna add anything relating to the 2016 U.S.A. election into my stories. For those of you who have read my other stories, I've made it kinda obvious who I most likely voted for, so I don't wanna hear any political arguments up in the reviews. That is my first, and _last_ , warning on the matter.**

 **On that note, please feel free to PM me if you need to talk about the results. I will respond to each and every one as quickly as I can to offer love and support to anyone who needs it. I myself am in the same boat, and talking to supportive friends and family and knowing there are others out there who feel the same way really does help. I'll be here if you need me.**

 **But on the chapter... this one's a little different. It's another first-meeting one-shot where Reader-chan doesn't come in until closer to the end... but that's because this is the rough draft of a possible AU Reader-Insert chapter story.**

 **Basically, I had this long-ass AU story sitting in my folder and one day just went** _ **holy cow that would work as a reader-insert!**_ **Unfortunately I'm far too busy to add another story to my Account at the moment, but I figured I could test out the first chapter at least. Once I figure out my schedule or make some more time, then we'll see. But I'd like to hear some feedback on this chapter first.**

 **So, here it is. I hope you enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own any mention of the OHSHC universe. Sad day.**

* * *

 **(F/n) = First name**

 **(L/n) = Last name**

 **(N) = Nationality (American, Spaniard, Korean, Swedish, English, etc., etc.)**

 **(N/c/o) = Name of country of origin (American, Spain, Korea, Sweden, England, etc., etc.)**

 **(h/c) = Hair color**

 **(h/l) = Hair length**

 **(e/c) = Eye color**

 **(f/c) = Favorite color**

 **Reader-chan, you're 26 in this story.**

* * *

Good Morning, (L/n)-sensei!

"Papa! Papa! Hurry up!"

Kyoya huffed, trying to both drain the last couple drops of tea from his mug and balance the small child on his back. He reached behind awkwardly with one arm to hoist the boy further up to grab his shoulders, "Tama-chan, we don't even have to leave for another-"

"Papaaaaaaa..."

The man quickly swallowed the last of his drink, chuckling as his son continued holding out the word, "Alright, alright."

"Yay~!"

The blond five-year-old boy wriggled downwards until he was able to drop to the floor, running away as fast as his little legs could carry him. Kyoya smirked and shook his head, dropping the empty mug into the sink to be washed later. He unplugged a charging phone from the wall, pocketed the device, and followed his son out of the kitchen.

If you had asked Kyoya Ootori five years ago where he thought he'd be now, he would probably say running his family's company, living in his own large house, perhaps with a steady girlfriend, and the thought of family far away in his mind. In no way, shape, or form, had he expected to adopt a cute, bouncing little French boy named Tamaki and raise him on his own.

Yeah, _alone_.

Kyoya was a single parent, at only 25 years old.

"Papa!"

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Kyoya enter the living room. Tamaki was sitting near the front door, his pudgy face set in a deep frown as he tugged at his shoes, "Papa! I need help!"

Another chuckle shook the adult male's chest as he crouched down to undo the laces, "Alright, Tama-chan, your first day of kindergarten. Excited?"

"Yup!" The blond leaned over to pat at his small school bag, stretching quite a bit as his father still had a grip on his foot.

Kyoya eyed the bag as he began tying up one of the shoes, "Lunch still in there?"

"Uh huh!"

"Crayons? Pencils? Smile? All 10 fingers and toes?" With every question, the man lifted a finger to poke at the small boy's stomach. Tamaki squeaked with laughter as his father began asking more ridiculous questions, both hands now a part of the poking.

Kyoya allowed a small smile as he began tickling his son in earnest. It had been an abrupt shift in his home-life when he first brought Tamaki to Japan, all sunshine and happiness despite his horrible beginning, and Kyoya couldn't imagine it any other way. Not when Tamaki cried when he couldn't have another scoop of ice cream in his bowl, not when the small boy fell asleep on Kyoya's chest in the middle of a cartoon, and certainly not during moments like this.

And while he was still strict when it came to rules and discipline, his closest friends from high school had mentioned the changes they had noticed in his personality. Not large ones, of course. Hikaru still teased him relentlessly about being a Cyberman (it took Kyoya two years and a month-long marathon to figure that one out), but to be honest, all three of them had changed as, one-by-one, children were added into their lives.

"P-Papa! N-n-no morrrre!"

Kyoya stopped tickling and scooped the boy up into his arms, "But you're going to be gone all day long! I have to get all your tickles in now."

Tamaki sobered noticeably, squishing his father's face with his meaty hands, "Don't worry, Papa. I'll see you vewy soon!"

While he hid it very well, apparently Kyoya could not fully disguise how nervous he actually was about sending Tamaki to school for the whole day. It still amazed him how such a young child could show these random acts of deeper knowledge. But on the other hand, he had always known the boy was special. Ever since he saw him at the Ootori hospital in France, smiling happily, unaware of his mother's passing during childbirth and his father's abandonment. The thought of his son's 'welcoming' to the world prompted a quick squeeze of his arms around the small boy.

Then the moment passed and Kyoya set Tamaki back down on his own feet. Realizing they were finally leaving, the blond began running around the foyer, grabbing his school bag and pushing at Kyoya to grab his own work suitcase and car keys.

"C'mon, Papa! Allons-y!"

As the French term slipped past Tamaki's lips, Kyoya's small smile faltered. It was no secret to a majority of Japan that the head of the Ootori group had adopted a little blond French boy. And Tamaki had a bit of a habit of weaving his original language into his Japanese, such as calling Kyoya 'Papa' instead of 'Father'. Kyoya had little doubt that as soon as his son stepped foot on campus, his classmates would automatically know that this little boy was someone their parents would want them to meet.

Kyoya felt his stomach clench up in distaste while the two made their way to the car. When _he_ had been a Kindergartener, his experience had been the same: friendships that were more business relationships right out of the womb. Now, as a father, the thought of his sweet little happy-go-lucky son being forced through that same experience made him feel sick.

"No, Papa! I wanna do it!" Kyoya quickly removed his hands from the car seat buckles and watched as Tamaki struggled to click everything into place. The ravenet smiled a little as his son pouted at the buckles in concentration. Hopefully he'd find at least one true friend at school. If any child at Ouran Academy had a chance at that, it was Tamaki.

"Papa? Can I have help?"

He chuckled and reached back into the car, "Always, Tama-chan."

)(

"Okay, we're here, Tama-chan." Kyoya parked the car and looked into the rear-view mirror. His son was staring out the window, oddly silent as he looked at the school building.

"Tamaki?"

"I don't wanna go anymore, Papa…"

Kyoya felt his heartstrings being played like a harp, but he still unbuckled and turning around in his seat, "Do you want me to walk in with you?" The blond nodded, poking halfheartedly at his car seat buckle until it popped open.

The moment Tamaki's feet touched concrete, he grabbed Kyoya's hand tightly and pressed himself to his father's right leg. A quick glance around at the other families revealed that the blond wasn't the only one feeling shy. But there didn't appear to be many parents walking the children inside the school building. There _were_ plenty of maids and butlers, though.

Pulling Tamaki's school bag out from the backseat and locking the car behind him, Kyoya lead his son through the small courtyard and into the pink building. He couldn't help but feel a little sentimental as he made his way through the hallway. It was the same as he remembered. He glanced down to see Tamaki staring at everything with his large purple eyes, but the boy was still oddly mute.

"Tama-chan? Do you remember which classroom you're in?"

"...Class A, Papa. Just like you." Tamaki smiled and started to drift a little further away from his father's leg, proud to be in the same class his father had been. Kyoya couldn't help but feel incredibly proud, too.

"Tama-chan! Tama-chan!"

"Mitsu-chan!

The blond jerked his small hand out of his father's grip and ran down the hallway to hug his friend. Rushing to catch up, Kyoya offered a friendly greeting to his old schoolmate, Takashi Morinozuka. The tall, black haired man returned the gesture before the two fathers' looked to their sons hugging and chatting with each other. Kyoya huffed in amusement, gaining his friend's attention again. In typical Mori fashion, the question was silently asked, but still heard.

"I simply find it amusing that we are two rather collected black haired men with hyperactive blond sons, and you are one year older than I am while your son is a year older than mine. It's very symmetrical."

"Not like Hikaru."

Kyoya smirked. Hikaru Hitachiin, a redheaded boy who was a year younger than him had a son as well, who was a year younger than Tamaki. Little Kaoru was a spitting image of his father, and Kyoya had a feeling that when he grew up it would be difficult to tell one apart from the other.

 _Of course, that usually happens when you actually_ have _a child instead of adopting._

A tug at his hand interrupted his thoughts.

"Papa? Can I just go to class with Mitsu-chan? I promise to be good…"

Kyoya sighed and bent down, "I'm afraid not, Tama-chan. You and Mitsukuni can have lunch together, but you'll make friends in your other class, I know it."

His son's lower lip trembled as he held up his pinkie finger, "P-promise?"

Kyoya linked his pinkie with his son's, "I promise. Zenegata-san will take good care of you and make sure you have at least one friend by the end of the day."

"Kyoya." Takashi was shaking his head, "Zenegata-san isn't teaching any longer. Broke his ankle last week. Decided to retire. There's a new teacher, now."

The ravenet blinked. Zenegata-san had been _his_ teacher and now he's... gone? That was a shame. He had been brilliant with children. His statement about having a friend by the end of the day was true. That was how he had met Takashi, actually, having been directed over to the silent boy during his first lunch hour. And again with Hikaru.

"Who's the new teacher?"

Takashi shrugged, "(N). Haven't heard anything else."

Kyoya hummed, then straightened up, "Well, we should probably get going anyways. Are we still meeting for lunch on Saturday?"

His friend blushed as Mitsukuni bounded forward, "Daddy has a date on Saturday! He's really nervous about it, but I think she's pretty!"

The glasses wearing man couldn't help the smirk on his face, "Is it that girl from the bakery?" A nod and sheepish smile answered him. "Then you'd better enjoy yourself. You've been pining for that poor girl for months. I can babysit Mitsu-chan on Saturday if you'd like. We'll meet for lunch on another day."

Takashi nodded with another smile before holding out his hand, "Mitsukuni. Let's get you to class."

"Oh, okay, Daddy. Bye, Tama-chan! Have fun today!"

)(

 _Alright, let's see what up-starter has replaced Zenegata-san._ Armed with the knowledge that his son's very first teacher was going to be from (N/c/o), Kyoya felt his hopes for his son's education sink. _What was the school chairman thinking?_

The Ootori's made it all the way to the door of the classroom before Tamaki started pulling back, "No… no, Papa, I don't wanna go…"

Kyoya immediately stopped tugging his son forward and crouched down to meet his eyes, "Tama-chan, you might like school. I did."

"But you don't know the teacher! What if I don't like them?"

"Well, I had hoped I would at least be given the benefit of the doubt."

The Ootori's looked up quickly, both sets of eyes locking on the very pretty girl with (h/c) hair who was smiling down at them. Kyoya stood up, straightening his back and his glasses, trying not the stare. Tamaki, on the other hand, let his mouth fall open into a really big smile.

"You're my teacher?"

The girl laughed, "That I am. Call me (L/n)-sensei. What's your name?"

"Ootori Tamaki! And this is my Papa!"

The (N) turned her kind (e/c) eyes back to Kyoya, who felt like his entire torso was suddenly clenched in a vice grip. She held out her left hand, probably because Tamaki still had a grip on Kyoya's right, "(L/n) (F/n). It's very nice to meet you, Ootori-san. I look forward to teaching your son."

"Ootori Kyoya." He took her soft hand in his and shook it politely, "I- ahem, I look forward to hearing about my son's experiences in your classroom."

She smiled even wider and Kyoya couldn't help but take her appearance in. She had a very kind smile, her (h/l) (h/c) hair matching well with her (e/c) eyes. She was wearing a nice (f/c) blouse and long black slacks, professional but also colorful. Basically, her whole body screamed 'endearing', and Kyoya was completely captivated.

"Are you planning on keeping that hand?"

"Oh," he quickly released her, "I apologize."

(F/n) kept her eyes on him for a few seconds, her gaze unreadable but not showing any discomfort, before looking down at Tamaki, "Are you ready for your first day, Tamaki-kun?"

"Uh huh! You know, you're really pretty, (L/n)-sensei! Isn't she really pretty, Papa?" Kyoya found himself mentally begging for his son to shut up, but his new teacher only laughed.

"Why, aren't you a little ray of sunshine! Thank you so much for the compliment, Tamaki-kun! How about we get you inside so your Papa can go to work?" She glanced shyly up at Kyoya before returning her attention to the blond boy, "I'll take good care of you while he's gone, okay?"

Tamaki nodded and turned to his father, reaching up with both hands, "One last hug, Papa!"

Kyoya smirked and lifted his son into his arms, "One last hug. Be good for (L/N)-san, alright, Tama-chan?"

"I will, Papa!"

Setting his son down, Tamaki ran into the classroom, (L/n)-san right behind him. And Kyoya couldn't keep himself from looking down at her left hand.

No ring.

* * *

 **Alright. Hopefully by now you know the drill. Please favorite and follow if you liked it! And a review on this particular chapter would be very much appreciated! I do take comments and suggestions very seriously, but please keep flames down if possible.**

 **See you next chapter!**


	12. Got an Angel on your shoulder

**Hey, everyone! So, this started out as a story of a Devil and Angel on two people's shoulders falling in love, but then I decided that coming up with the other Devil and Angel would make too many OCs and I didn't want to deal with that. So… this was the final result. And I literally came up with this idea, wrote a draft, wrote it out, and updated in one day. Hope it turned out okay and that you like it, because I think it's super cute!**

 **P.S. It's got two side pairings in this as well!**

 **Disclaimer: Still no.**

* * *

 **(F/n) = First name**

 **(H/c) = Hair color**

 **(E/c) = Eye color**

 **(F/f) = Favorite food**

 **(N) = Nationality**

* * *

Got an Angel on your shoulder

"Okay, (F/n). Are you ready?"

Haruhi looked down at her left breast pocket. A tiny head was peeking out of it, staring at the huge pink building in wonder. The (h/c) haired girl looked up at her human and nodded, a big smile on her face. Haruhi smiled back before walking into the building. Their first day at Ouran Academy…

As the brunette continued walking around, following her school map towards her classroom, her Mini was taking in the sights. The last time they'd been here, all of the students had been gone for spring break. Now, the hallways were filled with teenagers and their Mini's.

"(F/n)? Can you tell where we are? I lost my spot on the map."

The light weight in her pocket didn't move, and Haruhi looked down to see if she was pointing or something, but no. (F/n) was staring wistfully at two people on the side of the hallway. They were holding hands and talking softly, their mini's sitting across from each other on the girl's lap and having their own silent conversation.

Haruhi smiled softly at her own Mini and carefully pet her hair with one finger, "Don't worry about it, (F/n). You'll find our soulmates soon enough."

She met the small (e/c) eyes calmly and smiled when (F/n) nodded, shimmying out of Haruhi's pocket and into her palm to be carried towards the map. She knew that her Mini got a little sad when it came to the thought of soulmates. It was the one big job Mini's had, on top of being their human's constant companion and providing silent common sense. Typically, Mini's found their soulmates around high school or college years, somehow able to just _feel_ which school was right.

(F/n) was part of the reason Haruhi had tried so hard to get into Ouran. The three inch tall Mini had felt it was important. And yet, they were both somewhat cautious about it. Haruhi's parents had found each other when they were really young and got married after only knowing each other for a short period of time. And about ten years ago, her mother had passed away. Her mother's Mini, a tough girl with red pixie cut hair, had died at the same time, of course. And now Haruhi's father and his Mini were heartbroken. They still took care of Haruhi and (F/n), but it was clear in their eyes that they were still struggling to move on. The girls knew that Ranka and Ai would likely not make it to old age. Soulmates don't typically feel the need to survive once their other half had passed.

That was why Haruhi felt a little nervous about finding her own soulmate. She didn't want that to happen to her, or risk doing that to someone else, but it wasn't like it wouldn't happen either.

A short tugging on her sleeve had her looking down, where (F/n) was pointing at a particular hallway on the map. "Oh, we're there? Thanks (F/n)."

The small girl smiled and climbed up Haruhi's arm, taking a seat on her shoulder rather than slip back into the pocket. (F/n) preferred the shoulder. It was a little higher up than the pocket -Haruhi wouldn't let her sit on top of her head- and it was actually a lot of hard work standing up in the pocket to just be able to see out of it. So, shoulder it was.

*Time Skip*

Haruhi sighed as the bell tower out in Ouran's courtyard chimed. Noon. Time for lunch, finally. It was only the first day of the semester and already Ouran's curriculum was faster paced than her old school. It wasn't anything she couldn't handle, but at the same time it was exhausting. Even (F/n), who had been following along during Haruhi's classes had fallen asleep sometime around the middle of her History lesson.

With a soft smile, Haruhi lightly poked (F/n)'s belly with her pencil eraser. (H/c) hair in a rat's nest, the Mini woke up with a big yawn and stretch. Haruhi poked her again and the Mini scowled at her, grabbing the pencil so her human could lift her up to the pocket.

The brunette scoffed when (F/n) burrowed herself in the clothing, ignoring her because of the way she'd been woken up.

All around the two, Haruhi's fellow classmates were standing up and heading out of the room. The hallway was suddenly busy with students marching their way to the lunchroom, but Haruhi had packed her own lunch. She was a little self conscious, in all honesty. She didn't know anyone at the school and quite honestly she didn't want to be the weird kid sitting by herself in the lunchroom.

Once everyone was out of the room, Haruhi pulled out her bento box and unhooked the hinges. She lightly nudged her pocket with a finger, "(F/n)... come on out of there. I packed your favorite."

The lump in her pocket wiggled, but her Mini stayed right where she was.

"O...kay then. I guess I'll just have to eat… it… all~ Ahhhhhh…"

Haruhi chuckled when (F/n) burst out of the pocket, but the Mini didn't attempt to climb down her arm and save her (f/f). Instead, her (e/c) eyes were pinned on the doorway. Eyebrows creasing, the brunette followed her gaze towards the door of the classroom. Just outside, in the hallway, she could hear a bit of arguing.

"Tamaki, I think you should listen-"

"Come on, Hikaru! I want to get an A lunch before the line gets too long! He probably just saw a teacher or something!"

And then they were gone, but (F/n) was still staring intently at the doorway.

"(F/n)-"

The Mini jumped out of her pocket and onto the desk. Haruhi jolted. Her Mini was usually so careful! She'd never done that before! (F/n) quickly ran to the edge of her desk and knelt, pointing frantically at the doorway.

"I don't understand. What is it?"

(F/n) smacked her forehead and began pointing at Haruhi's bag instead. Frowning, the human lifted it up for her Mini and watched as (F/n) slipped inside. For a few moments the brunette only saw her Mini wriggling around, looking for something. Then she grabbed a piece of paper and started pulling.

"Hey, here, let me." Haruhi collected (F/n) in one hand, and pulled out the map of the school in the other. "What do you- hey!"

(F/n) had escaped her fingers, yanking the map from Haruhi's hand and unfolding it. Quickly, she walked around it until she finally came to a large room near the exact middle of the high school. She sat down in the middle of it, looking up at her human expectantly.

Haruhi raised an eyebrow and made a shooing motion with her hands. (F/n) obliged, scooting backwards until the brunette could read the name of the room.

"The refectory? Why do you want to go there?"

(F/n) gave her an 'are you kidding me' look before standing up and jumping up and down on the map, pointing furiously at her feet as she did so.

"Okay! Okay, calm down. We can take a look around if you really want." A huge grin decorated (F/n)'s face as she hugged Haruhi's offered hand, quickly settling herself into the brunette's palm while she packed up her lunch and map.

"Hand, shoulder, or pocket?" (F/n) patted Haruhi's palm and made a show of settling in, sitting criss-cross in the middle. "Alright then."

The two made their way out of the classroom, the hallway was almost completely empty save for a few stragglers. Haruhi almost got lost trying to navigate the hallways, but apparently (F/n) had memorized the way in the short time she'd looked at the map, because she kept pointing different directions until they finally arrived at the refectory.

Haruhi hesitated at the doorway, hearing the different voices coming from inside. She didn't really want to go in there...

A furious tugging at her sleeve made her look down. (F/n)'s lower lip was quivering. She looked like she was about to cry. Knowing she was beaten, Haruhi sucked in a deep breath and walked forward.

The lunchroom was large and loud, filled with students who were chatting and Mini's talking with each other as well, in that high pitch only they could hear. Haruhi had no idea where to go first, so she settled for following (F/n)'s instructions. She had lead them there in the first place after all. The two got to a fairly empty table when Haruhi noticed which group (F/n) was staring at. Three boys and a girl were seated further away from anyone else, eating their lunch and chatting among themselves.

"Hey, you're Haruhi, right?"

The brunette blinked in surprise, not expecting to be addressed. She looked down and saw the group of girls she had stopped by. They were at the opposite end of the table of the other group, and Haruhi couldn't help but notice there were at least five seats in between the two groups.

"Yeah. Hello."

"I'm Fusako. I'm in your class. You were wondering about that group, right?"

"Well, (F/n), my Mini, was interested in them so…"

One of the other girls gasped, "Your Mini? You're so lucky!"

"I am?"

"It means your soulmate is either Hikaru or Tamaki! They're the school's heartthrobs! Oh… I wish my Mini had connected with theirs…"

"Whoa, whoa, who's talking about soulmates? I just got here! And I don't know who's who!"

Fusako gave her a knowing smile before tilting her head towards the group, "The redhead is Hikaru Hitachiin. He's in our class, so if your Mini just recently started acting up then it's probably not him. He's the only one at school with a Mini who looks exactly like him." Haruhi's eyes widened in recognition. She remembered seeing him, mostly because of the identical Mini thing. It was really rare for something like that to happen. Like… triplet, rare.

"The short blond is Mitsukuni Haninozuka, but we all call him Honey-senpai. He's a third year, and he found his soulmate last summer. Reiko Kanazuki. They're total opposites, but it's kinda cute." Fusako gestured to the short blond boy and the dark girl sitting beside him. Haruhi nodded, they didn't share many qualities other than a surprisingly short height, but they looked happy. And the two Mini's hanging around them, a surprisingly tall black-haired boy and a cute brown-haired girl, looked happy as well.

"And the other one?"

The group of girls giggled, "Tamaki Suoh. Second year. His father's the President of the School Board and he's the most popular guy on campus."

"But…" Haruhi raised an eyebrow, subconsciously tightening her hold on (F/n), who was growing restless, "He doesn't have a soulmate yet?"

"Nope." Fusako sighed, "His Mini is just so… different from him. Little Ciara here couldn't even look at him, he annoyed her so much." The blonde softly pet her Mini as she spoke. The small ginger-haired, pale-skinned girl frowned and swiped at the finger good naturedly, but there was a big pout on her freckled face all the same. Haruhi wasn't surprised that Fusako's Mini looked Scottish. Her mother's had been American. And hers was (N).

"Wow. Well, that doesn't sound all that promis- (F/N)!"

Having run out of patience a while ago, the (h/c) haired girl finally managed to kick her way free of her human's grip and she hit the table running. Haruhi tried to grab her, but (F/n) was quick, jumping around the lunches scattered over the table. None of the other girls tried to stop her, and their Mini's were jumping and clapping for her.

Meanwhile, terrified that her Mini was going to get hurt -by falling or being squished- Haruhi chased her all the way down the table. Conversations around the lunchroom tapered off as they noticed the brunette swiping at a (h/c) haired Mini running down a lunch table. They shook their friends when they noticed what direction the two were heading, too.

Not paying attention to the eyes now fixed on her, Haruhi did manage to grab the Mini around the waist, "Aha!"

"Um… excuse us?"

"Eep!"

Haruhi jumped, holding her unruly Mini behind her back. She was now down at the other end of the table with the four she'd been talking about earlier. Hikaru was regarding her with a bored expression, Honey-senpai and his girlfriend looked interested, and Tamaki…

Geez, those purple eyes were pretty.

"Is everything alright, my dear? You seem… panicked."

"A… no. I'm fine. My Mini… she was just acting up. I'm sorry." Behind her back, she could still feel (F/n) struggling. She increased the pressure in her hand just a little, as a warning.

"Really? That sounds exciting. I almost wish my Mini would take a few cues from yours. He's so _boring_. Ow!" Tamaki laughed as his Mini continued to glare at him, his little black journal shut and looking like he wouldn't hesitate to smack him with it again. Haruhi regarded the black-haired Mini. He was handsome, undoubtedly, but looked a little aloof. There was a pair of silver glasses perched on his nose that he readjusted.

"Okay, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it, you're great. Really!"

The Mini glared a little harder before sticking a pen into his notebook and dropping it with practiced ease into Tamaki's breast pocket. He turned his calculating gaze on Haruhi. Said gaze sharpened and his eyes went to the arm she was holding behind her back.

"Hm? Oh, right. Miss, what's your name?"

"Ah, Haruhi Fujioka. I'm the scholarship student in Class 1-A."

Tamaki jumped to his feet, forcing his Mini to grab at his uniform to hang on, "Really! Wait, I've heard of you before, you're infamous! I've never met a commoner before, this is so exciting!" Instantly, Haruhi's interest in the guy dropped from a steadily increasing 76% to roughly 12-ish.

"Oh. Well, that's nice, but I should- OW! WHAT!" She whipped (F/n) up to face her, a pout on the small face.

"Did you just BITE me?"

The Mini huffed, but looked a little sorry before turning her head. Her gaze was once again fixed. On…

"Oh."

Tamaki and Haruhi watched in surprise and -for one of them- growing dread as their Mini's continued to stare at each other. Tamaki was the first to clear his throat and speak up, "Uh… Kyoya? Are you sure?"

The ravenet quickly scrambled down Tamaki's left arm, almost falling flat on his face in his haste to reach the table top. Haruhi could finally hear the whispers coming from all around the room as she hesitantly set (F/n) down as well.

Kyoya, the name Tamaki had given, stood a few centimeters over (F/n), something obvious as they slowly moved closer to each other. The (h/c) haired girl stopped moving first, her face flushing with sudden embarrassment, but the boy was quick to close the distance. His arms went around her waist, tugging their bodies flush together. A big, yet shy smile grew on (F/n)'s face, and Kyoya replied with a warm smirk.

Haruhi watched as the two Mini's nuzzled each other carefully, scenting. She'd heard plenty about the process of Mini's finding their soulmates, but now that she was actually seeing it...

 _Oh boy…_

"So… looks like we're soulmates."

The brunette blushed at the husky voice Tamaki purred into her ear, his warm hand coming up to cup her face. This was going to be an interesting first year...

* * *

 **Awww... I love TamaHaru, I really do. And I pulled Honey's wife from the Manga for this one as well! I wish she'd been in the anime!**

 **On the side, I really have no idea where that title came from. I just... meh.**

 **If you liked it, please favorite, follow, and leave a review! I love reviews!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	13. Good Morning, (Ln)-sensei Part 2

**Three updates in two days? There's only one reasonable explanation... PROCRASTINATION!**

 **Either way, I got this one all set up, and the odds of an actual chapter-long Reader insert coming to life are growing more likely. Either way, I'd still greatly appreciate feedback! I'm really glad it's been such a big hit!**

 **Thank you to drkm2000, Miss Belle Sutcliff, and queenglitch for reviewing my last chapter in the space of less than a day. I'm glad you liked my soulmate concept, even if it was strange. I've been thinking about doing a couple more, but we'll just have to see!**

 **Disclaimer: Don't. Own. A thing.**

* * *

 **(F/n) = First name**

 **(L/n) = Last name**

 **(e/c) = Eye color**

 **(h/c) = Hair color (i.e. ravenette, brunette, blonde, etc.)**

 **(f/c) = Favorite color**

 **In case you forgot, Reader-chan is 26.**

* * *

Good Morning, (L/n)-sensei!

Chapter 2

Kyoya felt like his day had been Hell with a capital 'H' from the moment he exited Ouran Elementary.

He'd been instantly surrounded by other parents who managed to make a few passing comments before he escaped to his car. Most of them were along the lines of him 'not being surprised' if Tamaki was invited to their children's birthday parties, because they were _absolutely sure_ that they would get along _famously_. And while they didn't think he did, Kyoya had seen the tightening of big hands around small fingers, as a warning of what would happen if they _didn't_ become friends with the current heir to the Ootori company.

Work had been no better. The day had been busy and stressful and there had been more than a few overheard comments about his father and Tamaki that rubbed him the wrong way… which lead to the quick firing and a frantically sent advertisement for an open spot as Kyoya's personal receptionist.

And the worse part? He couldn't focus for more than five minutes, because all day his head had been filled with a laugh that sounded like summertime warmth, a cute smile ready to be shared with anyone who might need a pick-me-up after a long day, and bright purple eyes that sparkled no matter how dim the room may be.

Kyoya couldn't stop thinking about his son. How he may be doing. If any of those other children had attempted to become friends with him because they "had to". If his classmates were making fun of being adopted into a rich family. Or if, instead, his new teacher was watching with that same gentle warmth in her (e/c) eyes from this morning as Tamaki built towering block castles with his new group of friends.

 _Thump thump,_ went his heart, and the ravenet groaned softly at himself.

(F/n) (L/n) hadn't left his thoughts much either, and he found himself on more than one occasion wondering what her thin, ring-less fingers would feel like between his own. Soft and gentle, as one might expect from someone who works with young children all year long? Or with secret callouses and a hidden strength that no one had ever bothered wondering about before? He hadn't thought to discover that when they shook hands this morning.

It wasn't until Kyoya realized his heartbeat was increasing as he walked down the hallways of Ouran Elementary that evening that he admitted to himself he might be feeling a slight attraction towards the woman. He attempted to ward himself away from the unlikely scenario that she was, in fact, single. This was accomplished mainly by telling himself that she was most likely in a stable relationship and just happened to not be married quite yet. Much like himself… but without the relationship part.

"Papa! Papa!"

Kyoya instinctively kneeled down and was tackled with a hug, "Hey, Tama-chan! How was your first day?"

"It was so fun! I made a bunch of new friends, just like you said! We played on the swings, and I ate lunch with them, Mitsu-chan, and all of his friends! And guess what? I became friends with them, too! I also played puzzles and solved one all by myself and (L/n)-sensei was so proud!"

Kyoya chuckled, "Did you _learn_ anything today?"

Tamaki tilted his head in thought, "Satoshi's favorite color is blue. Ah… Momo-chan has two kittens, and Haruka's family is going to Hawaii for summer break. Can we go somewhere for break, Papa?"

Kyoya smirked, "We'll just have to see." He, of course, could already see his son's excited face when they arrived in the Canary Isles in late June, Tamaki probably already in his swim trunks and ready to start their vacation the moment they exited the plane.

"I think what your father meant was the Alphabet we learned today."

Kyoya pushed himself back into a standing position, trying not to openly stare at his son's teacher like he had this morning. Leaning against the doorframe, Kyoya noted the relaxed body language and wondered if she had even been partially worried about her first day as a teacher in Japan. If not, she was a remarkably confident woman. If she had been, then she was incredible at hiding it.

She must've noticed his staring, because she sent him a smile and stepped right out of the classroom, turning the lights off and shutting the door behind her, "Tama-kun was my last student here today." _Oh, she thought I was wondering why she wasn't watching over her other students._ Kyoya just then realized the briefcase in her other hand. A small heart-shaped charm glinted from the handle, silver jewels rimming the shape with a (f/c) jewel in the middle. It matched the color of her shirt. He wondered if she had many charms that she color coordinated, or if (f/c) was simply her favorite color...

"(L/n)-sensei? You'll be here tomorrow, right?"

"Of course, Tamaki-kun."

"Couldn't you come home with me, instead? Papa wouldn't mind, right Papa?"

Kyoya really hoped his face wasn't steaming. Wait… were his glasses fogging up?

Even the (h/c) looked somewhat embarrassed, "Um… well I have to go back to my own apartment tonight, Tamaki-kun."

"Awww… do you have a family? Are you married?"

Kyoya almost held his breath. _Tama-chan, I love you, but shut up. Please. Just shut up…_

"No. It's just me. My family is still back in America, no husband, no boyfriend, but that's only going to make me want to see you tomorrow all the more!" She reached down and tapped Tamaki's nose, making him giggle. She missed how Kyoya's eyes flickered with momentary hope before he shut it down. There was no telling the scandalous talk that might erupt if he actually pursued his son's teacher. Besides, what effect might that have on Tamaki's education? Or her credibility?

"Papa?"

"Mm?" Kyoya shook himself out of his thoughts, "Sorry, Tama-chan. What did you say?"

His son was frowning a little, "Did you have a bad day at work?"

Internally, Kyoya cursed himself. If Tamaki could already tell when his father had had a rough day, he was bringing more work home than he wanted. Sighing, he bent down and stroked a few stray hairs down onto his son's head. There was a stubborn cowlick behind his left ear, probably from nap time. Kyoya should know, he spent a good five minutes almost every morning trying to tame it, due to Tamaki's tendency to sleep on his back with his head facing the left.

"No. It was just long. Are you ready to go home?"

"Yeah! Let's go, Papa!" Tamaki took off down the hallway and Kyoya went to follow when-

"He's an incredible boy." Kyoya paused and looked at (F/n), who was staring off at Tamaki with that same soft look in her eyes that had been running around Kyoya's head all day, "I've only started teaching… and I get the class with the one-in-a-million kid." She looked at the ravenet, "You and your wife must be so proud."

Even as she spoke that sentence, Kyoya felt his walls slowly phasing back into existence, knowing the usual response when he said, "I'm not married. Tamaki was adopted."

To his surprise, (F/n) didn't seem, well, surprised by that information. She blinked, then nodded, "I'd heard a few rumors in the teacher's lounge, but I didn't want to insult you with a direct question. Please forgive my curiosity, it really wasn't my business to pry into your social life." (F/n) bowed and completely missed how Kyoya's mouth fell open, then quickly shut.

"It's quite alright. I appreciate how you handled it, at any rate. Most of those in… my community, as you call it, don't care much about getting the facts. They prefer to listen to the rumors, so long as they get them fast. As a result I've noticed a sort of a… personal distance between myself and them. It's now strictly business. I doubt they would feel comfortable being labeled 'my community'."

"Sounds lonely."

The two stared at each other, not quite knowing how to continue the conversation... but neither of them wishing for it to end, either.

"Papaaaaaaa!" Kyoya blinked and (F/n) jumped, a hand quickly slipping up to brush a few hairs behind her ear.

"It was nice to speak to you again, Ootori-san. I look forward to seeing Tamaki-kun in my class tomorrow."

Before he got the chance to answer, she was walking away to the other end of the hallway. Tamaki grabbed onto his father's pant leg as she disappeared around the corner, "(L/n)-sensei's nice, huh, Papa?"

"Yes. I would say that she is."

* * *

 **Short little thing, but it's a build up! There were a few little plot bunnies being born up in there. If you didn't see them, don't worry, they'll come to light once I actually start writing this story. (I'm thinking about starting it this winter break. What do you think?)**

 **Another note, what's your opinion on me making this particular story 'M' rated? Its been buzzing around my head for a while. Would you still read it?**

 **If you liked, please feel free to favorite, follow, and leave a review! I love hearing feedback from you all!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	14. Possessive

**Another spur of the moment, 'Hey, that would work as a Reader-insert'! I think I'm getting pretty good at these! But just to warn you all, I literally have a week before my final exams start up. And considering I have 5 of them… I'm going to be studying. A lot.**

 **But, to make up for it, I will be starting 'Good morning, (L/n)-sensei!' on Fanfiction (and DeviantArt), during my winter break. Just keep an eye on my list of stories later in December! I will be keeping the first two chapters on this story, of course, but all further chapters will only be added into it's own story.**

 **Thank you to queenglitch, AusllyBeliever, and MoonlitMia for your reviews on my last chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I own no mention of the OHSHC. At all. Pinky promise.**

* * *

 **(F/n) = First name**

 **(L/n) = Last name**

 **(h/c) = Hair color (Brunette, blonde, ravenette, etc.)**

 **(f/c) = Favorite color**

 **(N) = Nationality (American, Spaniard, Swede, etc.)**

 **(f/m) = Favorite movie**

 **Everyone is in collage. Reader-chan is in the same year as Tamaki and Kyoya. You've been dating Kyoya Ootori since high school.**

* * *

Possessive

It was late May.

A Saturday.

Beautiful.

Wonderful.

 _Hot._

There was one week left at the University before summer break started, but it would seem as though Mother Nature was getting a head start. The temperature had been climbing steadily over the past couple days until it finally reached the 39 degrees Celsius currently trying to melt everyone into the cement.

Eight students, six boys and two girls, were currently gathered at the apartment the girls shared, intending to spend the day studying together for their upcoming exams. While the outside world was slowly burning to a crisp, they would be contently curled up together in the wonders of air conditioning and providing helpful support and companionship for each other.

Or, at least that had been the plan.

About one and a half hours ago, the air condition had decided to have a heart attack and sputter to a near stop. It had only offered the barest hint of a breeze from that point on, but had been quickly shut off to get rid of the nasty sulfur smell that came with it.

Thank goodness for free maintenance.

Shame they weren't the only ones who needed it.

According to the person Haruhi had spoken to on the phone, almost every other student apartment complex had called in with a similar problem. Haruhi and (F/n)'s place had been put on the hour-long wait list before the lady had to take another call. When the boys were told, they had griped and groaned and suggested they call the number themselves before the girls intervened.

So now, the group simply suffered in silence.

Now, they had entertained moving to a different location for a moment, but that idea was quickly shut down. First of all, the idea of walking outside, where they wouldn't even have helpful shade between them and the sun made everyone feel worse. And secondly, as they all lived in apartments together themselves, it was likely that their air conditioners were either already on the fritz or were about to be.

In a word, they were stuck.

Haruhi and (F/n) had ransacked their apartment for fans to help cool and circulate the air. They came up with five, which was a shocking number but no one was complaining. Shutting the lights off and depending on only the natural light coming through the windows helped a little, but even then the collection of students felt like they may melt right into the floor, causing a sort of group-wide non-sexual strip-fest. Most of them were in their shorts and tanktops, but the boys were quickly starting to lose their shirts, too.

The twins were already clad only in their matching blue boxers, but in all honesty, the others were too hot to care all that much.

Hikaru was lounging in (F/n)'s recliner, Kaoru on the floor at his brother's feet. It was too hot for them to cuddle together in the chair, so Hikaru simply held one of the oscillating fans on his stomach, angling it in such a way that it went between blowing on his face to the back of Kaoru's head. Kaoru, of course, was still trying to study through the heat, but his brother had long since given up on focusing.

So now his gaze lazily floated around the room, trying to find something entertaining to alleviate his boredom. If it were any cooler, he'd be announcing said boredom to the rest of the group, but at the moment that was just too much work.

Mori-senpai and Honey-senpai were seated at the table. Honey had face planted the wood a few minutes ago while his cousin forced himself through more notes. A large fan was off to his left, cooling down their legs beneath the table, and each boy had a bag of half-melted ice that they moved around their shoulders and necks. Their sweat was causing their tank tops to sticking to their skin. Hikaru made a small wager with himself that Honey would be the first of the two to take his shirt off and moved his attention elsewhere.

Tamaki was lying on his stomach in the kitchen. Another large fan was at his feet, while his arms alternated between opening the freezer and refrigerator doors. The redhead watched as the blond opened the fridge and suddenly lunged forward, throwing his top half into the machine before unhappily backing out. He'd already been yelled at twice now by (F/n) for almost spoiling the food.

Haruhi was in the middle of the living room, sitting at the small table between the television set at the couch with an oscillating fan going across her back. She had a still mostly frozen water bottle in her hands, which she would occasionally rub across her bare arms or forehead, taking small sips every now and again. She was also still muscling through her notes, but Hikaru did see her eyes fuzz over.

And that left Kyoya and (F/n) to take over the couch. The two were currently sprawled out over it, (F/n) on one end and her boyfriend at the other. Kyoya's shirt was sticking to him like a second skin, but he kept it on anyways. Probably worried that either the twins would tease him or Tamaki would declare being shirtless in his girlfriend's presence was too ungentlemanly.

(F/n) was in a spaghetti strap (f/c) tank top and really short beige shorts, her hair pulled up off her neck in a way that would normally be considered cute, but at the moment looked frazzled and sloppy.

Kyoya had given up working on his laptop a while ago when it had almost burned a hole straight through his shorts and was now just watching (F/n) as she worked on her (f/s) homework, the two engaged in a half-hearted game of footsie.

Hikaru sighed and was about to give up on finding anything interesting when his eyes caught something.

"Hey, (F/n)? What is that?"

Not even looking up, the (N) responded, "This, Hikaru, is a pencil. A writing or drawing utensil."

Ignoring the girl's irritation that came with the heat, Hikaru struggled to sit up a little more on his chair, "Cut the sarcasm, I mean what's _that?_ "

"What?" She stared at him, annoyed.

"On your hip."

Kyoya, (F/n), and Kaoru all looked at (F/n)'s right hip at the same time. The boy's eyes widened and the (h/c) fumbled to pull her waistband up.

"I-it's nothing, Hikaru. Just had a slip up with a marker last night."

But it was too late for excuses. The twins were standing up and walking over before she even finished. Kyoya tried to sit up fast enough to stop them, but it was no use. As the twins scooped (F/n) up by her arms, the rest of the hosts looked over at the commotion.

The gingers moved (F/n) back to their chair, Kaoru slipping behind the girl to hold her still and Hikaru kneeling in front of her. With one finger hooked around a belt loop, he lightly tugged her shorts down a least an inch. Tamaki shouted half-heartedly at the twins for being perverts, but he was too hot to do much else.

And besides, Hikaru had seen it already.

He smirked evilly, "Hey, boss? I think the real pervert is Kyoya-senpai over here."

Said boy was slightly red in the face, as was his girlfriend, but neither of them said a thing. Kaoru, Haruhi, Mori, Honey, and Tamaki couldn't see what Hikaru was talking about, and now their curiosity was being ramped up, the sweltering heat almost forgotten.

Honey was the first to give in and walk over. Of course, one of his first orders of business was to stand in the pathway of the twin's abandoned fan, but then he looked at the newly exposed skin on (F/n)'s right hip. The girl squirmed a bit, but Kaoru held fast, despite the uncomfortable sticky feeling between his bare chest and her arms.

"But… (N/n)-chan's not property. Right?"

The other four couldn't take it any longer. Hikaru swapped places with his brother and the other hosts took a good look. On (F/n)'s hip, somewhere that would normally be covered by her shorts or her school dress, were four words printed in black marker. And even if the signature hadn't been a dead give-away, the handwriting was unmistakable.

The hosts stared, wide eyed, at the words "Property of Kyoya Ootori".

Slowly, the gravity of the statement and where it was placed registered in their brains. As one, they looked at Kyoya who was now furiously red in the face. Haruhi, Mori, and Honey were also red, the twins were grinning lecherously, and Tamaki looked ready to explode either in tears or in a fiery inferno.

Finally, Kyoya crossed his arms, "Well? Say something, I suppose."

The hosts were quiet for a moment before Hikaru shrugged, "I suppose it's not a really big surprise."

The others stared at him like he had just suggested eating chili peppers.

"Look, if you think about it, Kyoya-senpai _is_ rather possessive, especially around things that are specifically his. His laptop, his black journal...it makes sense his girlfriend's also on that list."

The others began shrugging and nodding their heads, though some of them looked a little flustered. (F/n) was let go, but she didn't make any moves to readjust her shorts. For all the embarrassment she had had to suffer, making Kyoya all hot and bothered was simply payback.

Tamaki actually managed a soft chuckle as they all began to settle back down, dragging his fan over so he could sit by his own girlfriend.

"What's so funny, Boss?"

"Nothing. It's just, I've noticed how possessive we are in this group. Hikaru, Kaoru, you're possessive of your friends. Mori-senpai is possessive over Honey-senpai. I suppose it makes sense Kyoya would mark (F/n) as his own. Boys do tend to be the more possessive side of relationships, and Kyoya's about as possessive as they come. Especially with all the other boys at the University drooling over (F/n)."

The (h/c) looked up, "Are you implying that Kyoya is the only possessive person in this relationship?"

"That's not necessarily a bad thing, (F/n)-senpai."

"It's just that even with girls eyeing Kyoya like candy-"

"-you do seem to trust others more than he does."

"Yeah."

"That's probably why Kyo-chan put his name on you. So if a boy started looking at you in places he shouldn't, Kyo-chan could rest easy knowing you're his."

(F/n) smirked, "Uh huh. You do realize that there is a similar reason I don't flip out on the girls checking out my boyfriend, right?"

Before the boys could comprehend her statement, (F/n) launched herself across the couch and tugged Kyoya's shirt off. He let out a shout of alarm and attempted to cover his chest, but it was simply too big to cover up. Along Kyoya's pecs and stomach were the words, "This person is the property of (F/n) (L/n)."

(F/n) leaned back on her end of the couch, Kyoya's shirt in hand, "I had to put it somewhere he'd be able to see it. Last time he didn't notice the words until they'd been washed off in the shower."

After a moment, the twins started laughing.

"So, whose kink is it?" They asked, no longer quite as bored.

(F/n) winked at them before tossing Kyoya's shirt back to him, "You'll just have to figure that out."

Before anyone could come up with a reply, she stood up and walked over to the television, intentionally letting her hips sway side to side. Quickly popping in (f/m), she went back to the couch and sat down in the middle, her butt setting in between her boyfriend's outstretched legs as the rest of the hosts gathered around.

Kyoya regarded (F/n) for a moment, like he couldn't decide whether to be mad at her or not. Then he shrugged and sat up further, slipped his arm around her waist and pulling her against his chest. Now that all of the hosts were in the same part of the room, the five fans were blowing at them in a semicircle, effectively making them cooler than they'd been before. Even so, (F/n)'s shoulders and arms were sweaty and sticky against his newly bared chest, but it wasn't exactly uncomfortable for them.

With his fingers resting on the mark on her hip, Kyoya decided to let (F/n)'s attempt to embarrass him slide just this one time. The girl seemed to realize that as she rested her head against his chest with a smirk. The ravenet rolled his eyes and tried to focus on the movie.

 _After all, I_ was _the one who started it._

* * *

 **More implying but not really implying sexy times! Just prepping for two of my upcoming chapter stories that I** _ **do**_ **plan on making 'M'-rated! Excitement!**

 **If you liked this chapter, please let me know with a nifty little favorite or follow or even a review! Love me some reviews.**

 **See you next chapter!**


	15. Overnight Stay

**Another Male!Reader insert! Since my last one did pretty okay I'm gonna do another one! Also, I'm shipping so many guys from Yuri! On Ice that this was pretty much inevitable. So... many… ships…**

 **Thank you to queenglitch, Miss Belle Sutcliff, and Sasuke'sLittleSakura for your reviews on my last chapter. I know this took a lot longer than my usual monthly updates, but unfortunately this is going to become the norm. Apologies in advance!**

 **Disclaimer: Still don't own the Host Club boys.**

* * *

 **(M/n) = Male name (unless you're a guy, then it's just your first name)**

 **(L/n) = Last name**

 **(e/c) = Eye color**

 **(h/c) = Hair color (Blond, brunet, ravenet, etc.)**

 **(N) = Nationality (Swede, Dane, American, Spaniard, etc.)**

 **(f/c) = Favorite color**

 **Little background, you're Ouran's newest Honor student, having passed by the test with flying colors. And it's sort of become the Host Club's tradition to recruit the new scholarship kid, so you were quickly brought into the club. You've never been _obvious_ about your sexuality, but you don't lie about it if asked either.**

 **And please ignore the fact that Honey and Mori are supposed to have graduated by this point. Just... ignore it.**

* * *

Overnight Stay

"I'm sorry boys… I know I told you this summer I'd have enough rooms for you all to stay at the Pension," Misuzu-chi wrung his hands tightly, not meeting anyone's eyes as he continued, "But I had a sports team come in last minute… there are only four rooms left."

The host club sat in stunned silence.

How long had they been planning this? Since they left the Pension last summer? Well, most of them had, at least, and now this again? Even Haruhi looked a little disappointed.

The Pension owner nibbled his lower lip, "Well... I should probably tell you that two of those rooms have double beds... so if some of you are willing to share-"

"Takashi and I can! We've done it before when we had to travel overseas!"

"And Kaoru and I share a bed at home. We're in."

The cousins and the twins relaxed, glad that at least _they_ were safe. As one, the four boys (and Haruhi) looked over at the remaining three members of their party. Tamaki, Kyoya, and (M/n) (L/n), their newest member who had been molded into their close-knit group at a surprising rate.

He was the one who spoke next, "So one of us is going to be the odd man out for the rest of the summer?"

"Oh, not at all! By tomorrow night there should be a few more rooms open, so you can all stay at the Pension over the summer... just not for the first night." (M/n) nodded in understanding, even though a thoughtful expression was beginning to surface as Tamaki stood up from his chair on (M/n)'s left side.

"Very well," he began, "I suppose the solution is obvious. Kyoya!"

The ravenet hummed in acknowledgement.

"You'll be staying at your family's cottage for the first night, then join us in the morning to move into another room!"

"And why should it be me?"

Tamaki stumbles, staring at Kyoya like he couldn't believe those words had just left his mouth, "W-well... (M/n) doesn't have anywhere else to go, now does he? And I _have_ to stay! As the club's president!"

"Really? Or is it because your girlfriend is here?"

Kyoya's words were rewarded with an astounding blush and quite a bit of flustered stammering. He unhurriedly sipped at his tea, wondering if his best friend would ever find out he was arguing simply because it was amusing to watch Tamaki flounder. There was truly nothing for him to be defensive about. He wanted to stay because Haruhi was here. Understandable. And (M/n) didn't have anywhere else to go. Kyoya wouldn't mind staying at his family's cottage for one night. If anything, he might get some extra sleep the next morning without Tamaki being able to drive to his cottage on the way to the Pension like last year.

"Kyoya?"

The ravenet's hands unconsciously tightened on the blue and white porcelain cup. He looked over at (M/n), who was staring at him with those pretty and thoughtful (e/c) eyes, not even aware of how often Kyoya found himself studying the color. It was embarrassing, feeling so powerless just because of an attraction. Or, that was a bit of a lie, because it was _far_ more than a simple physical attraction he felt towards the other boy.

"If you had the option, would you rather stay at the Pension rather than going to your cottage?"

Kyoya blinked, forcing himself to look away in order to actually come up with an answer to the question. He knew from past experience that he had a good chance of getting tongue-tied should he continue to meet (M/n)'s gaze. It irritated him. Why did he have to lose his proverbial 'cool' around the boy? Why did he have to have feelings for guys rather than girls? And _why_ did he have the absolute _dumb luck_ to overhear the confession of one of their guests to (M/n) not even a month ago, when Kyoya himself had started questioning his emotions towards the (h/c)? Why did he have to be standing just around the corner from where (M/n) had explained exactly _why_ he couldn't return the poor girl's feelings?

That he was gay.

Kyoya had quickly plastered himself against the nearby wall, keeping him out of sight from the two just around the corner, and to keep himself up on his own two feet as his heart thudded so hard inside his chest he could've sworn it had actually stopped.

Back in the present, he cleared his throat, "Well... if it were possible, I certainly wouldn't be apposed to it. But as it is-"

"Why can't two of us just share one of the single beds?"

The suggestion was greeted with silence. (M/n) rolled his eyes, "Okay, you can stop acting like I just announced my secret talent was pole dancing. If you would all get your heads out of the gutters for one moment, you'll see it's a good idea. I've seen the beds in this place and they're not _that_ small. I've shared with some of my other friends before, so if either Tamaki or Kyoya are cool with it, then I'd be fine with sharing a bed with one of them."

He crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat, having said his part. Everyone around him exchanged glances. It wasn't a bad idea... so long as everyone involved was comfortable with the plan. And this way, neither Tamaki nor Kyoya would have to lug their suitcases all the way across town just to bring them back again the next morning. Saving time, energy, gas, _and_ from Tamaki's upcoming meltdown.

As per usual, the blond brightened up first, "That's actually an excellent idea, (M/n)! I'd be perfectly happy to share-"

"I'll share a room with you, (M/n)."

The host club gaped at Kyoya in shock. Even the ravenet himself looked surprised at the words that had come out of his mouth. He hadn't really even thought before speaking. It was just... the idea of Tamaki and (M/n) sharing a bed... irritated him. It shouldn't, but it did. Tamaki was in a perfectly happy, monogamous relationship and (M/n) hadn't shown any indication that he was even slightly interested in the spastic boy, but Kyoya had still cut in.

"Um... Kyoya-senpai? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, you're not _exactly_ the _ideal_ bed partner when you wake up in the morning."

He frowned, "That's because the only times you've seen me early in the morning is when you _force_ me awake. Also, it looks like I'm glaring at you because I can't see anything without my glasses. Have you ever considered that?"

The others shifted in their seats or rubbed at the back of their heads. Now that Kyoya mentioned it, that did seem a likely reason or his perceived sour morning attitude. Smirking, Kyoya drained his cup of tea before continuing.

"Additionally, I've had Tamaki over at my house for a night over once, and he tosses and turns in his sleep. I don't think (M/n) would like to wake up tomorrow morning on the floor with several new bruises."

The (h/c) grimaced, "No, I would not. Okay then, Kyoya. Tomorrow we'll figure out who's moving into the new room, but for now let's just get all the bags inside." He stood up and walked out the door where two limousines were waiting, one that the club had traveled in, and the other that held all of their bags for the summer. Most of the other boys followed after him, except for the two ravenets.

Mori stood up and placed a hand on the younger boy's shoulders, "Will you tell him?"

"I'm... unsure."

The taller boy hummed, then went outside, eventually followed by his conflicted, and somewhat excited, friend.

*Time Skip*

Twelve hours later, Kyoya's heartbeat had increased exponentially until he was sure the organ was going to break through his rib cage. The wall on his right, which separated the room from the next one, had no sound coming from the other side. That meant the occupants were already sleeping or getting ready to sleep. On the other side of the room, from the door leading to the bathroom, Kyoya could faintly hear the sound of water running from the shower.

He swallowed. _What was I thinking? I can't share a bed with him! What happens if he finds out I'm... attracted to him? He'll think I'm using this to enact a fantasy! No... no he won't. He won't find out._ Kyoya's hands were unconsciously wringing at the shirt he had worn that day, having already changed into his favorite pair of light blue pajamas. That was safe, correct?

Kyoya sighed and dropped the clothing article into his suitcase, not really caring that it was wrinkled. The laundromat in town that he had used last year would get it out. _Why am I so worried about this? (M/n) was the one who suggested it in the first place. He won't be worried. He's taking a shower while I'm in the same room, for goodness sake. I shouldn't be overthinking this._

The water stopped, and Kyoya froze. After a few seconds, the hair dryer powered on and he resumed movement. Hurriedly, he snatched one of the books from his suitcase and went to the bed.

It was a single... but still oddly wide. He hadn't had a chance to really look at it in person before now, but he could see how two people might fit on it. It would be a bit of a squeeze, and they'd probably have to lay on their sides to avoid all contact, but it could be done. He chose the side closest to the window. Also the AC unit, which he eyed apprehensively before shaking his head. It was supposed to be warm tonight, so having the AC on a low setting wouldn't be too bad, right? He'd leave it up for (M/n) to decide.

By the time the hair dryer powered off and (M/n) stepped out of the bathroom, Kyoya was sitting up on his side of the bed and reading, no lights on save for the single lamp on his right side. The glasses wearing boy had managed to relax a little when he disappeared into the pages, but the moment his eyes left the ink his chest tightened up.

Unaware of the piercing grey eyes raking up and down his form, the (h/c) walked around the room, dropping his old clothes into his suitcase. One of his hands came up to his hair, unhappily tugging at one of the strands. He could never quite dry the hair on the back of his head, no matter how long he tried. Oh well, he'd given it a decent head start. Hopefully he wouldn't have an impossible-to-tame lump behind his head the next morning.

"Please don't sleep in your boxers, you're making this way more embarrassing than it needs to be."

(M/n) looked over at his roommate. Kyoya was staring at his book, but his eyes weren't moving across the page, so he was simply hiding. The (N) fought against a smirk. He'd heard the strain in the ravenet's voice. It was cute seeing him get so embarrassed, and he wanted to see more of that as soon as possible. Hurrying over to the bed, turning and falling backwards on top of the sheets at the last minute, (M/n) smiled up at the grey eyes peeking at him from over the lip of the book. He could feel the way Kyoya's legs had tensed up beneath his head.

"Not all of us sleep with monogrammed pj's, Kyoya. Be grateful they're boxers and not briefs." He stood back up, making a show of straightening out his (f/c) boxers and white t-shirt before climbing into his side of the bed, "I'll try to keep my shirt on the whole night… for your sake. We do have a busy day tomorrow. Can't stay up too late."

"Tch."

Kyoya rolled his eyes and went back to his book, missing out on the transition from a teasing expression to the soft smile (M/n) gave him before shimmying further into the sheets, turning to his side and away from the lamp on Kyoya's side.

"'Night."

"...Good night."

*Time Skip*

 _Tick tick tick tick tick_

(M/n) stared blankly off the edge of the bed. _This is it,_ he thought, _this is what going insane feels like._

 _Tick tick ticktick tick tick tick_

The (h/c) had almost sobbed with relief when Kyoya had finally shut his lamp off after an hour of reading. The sound of pages gently turning had been soothing, for sure, but... there was a mirror on the back of the door leading out to the hallway. A mirror that reflected the light from the lamp directly. Into. (M/n)'s. Eyes.

He couldn't fall asleep for the life of him! So when Kyoya had finally set the book down, slid further down beneath the covers, and shut off the light, (M/n) almost turned around to kiss the ravenet's cheek in thanks. But he wouldn't. That would make things uncomfortable between them.

 _Ticktickticktick tick ticktick_

Well, more than they were now.

Shifting a little, (M/n) threw his mind around, trying to find something to think about and start nodding off to sleep. But no matter what he tried, his thoughts always slipped back to the boy just behind him. Like the red needle on a compass. So, he decided to not fight it and just thought about Kyoya. He liked him. End of story, really. He thought he was cute, and not nearly as annoying as some of the other boys in the Host Club, all of whom he did love dearly... but Kyoya was different. He wasn't quite sure what it was, exactly, that made Kyoya Ootori stand out so much to (M/n)... but it was there. And it wasn't going away any time soon.

The only reason he'd never pursued it... was because he wasn't sure if Kyoya was... _interested_ in guys.

And that wasn't because he could flirt seamlessly with girls. (M/n) could do that too. Tell them some nice things and have a conversation. Boom. Done. But more because of the fact that Kyoya knew about (M/n)'s sexuality. He'd known Kyoya knew from the moment he explained it to that one girl a few months ago. The other boy had appeared around the corner shortly after the confession, like nothing was wrong and it was a simple coincidence he was there, but (M/n) had seen him adverting his eyes and the slightly reddening ears.

He still wasn't sure if that was a good or bad sign.

Except now, all he was feeling now was deep seated _annoyance._

 _Ticktick ticktick TICK!_

Okay, that's enough.

He shifted enough to glare over his shoulder, the bright light from Kyoya's cell phone hitting his eyes directly now instead of from the door mirror, "That had better be the bluest sunset in history or you're fucking _dead._ "

Kyoya paused, lowering his phone so it wouldn't shine so obviously over his shoulder, "(M/n)... I didn't know you were still awake."

"Of course I was, you moron. How can I sleep with you _tick-tick-ticking_ on your phone all night long?"

"I apologize."

"Then why are you still typing?" The ticking stopped.

"I'm sorry. Please go back to sleep."

(M/n) nodded and turned back to his original position. The sudden quiet was heavenly. But then-

 _Tick tick tick_

"That's it!"

Just as sudden as his outburst, (M/n) spun around and moved over Kyoya, the ravenet letting out a mild shout of protest as they began grappling for the glowing device in his hands. They kicked and squirmed for a solid minute before (M/n) grabbed at both of Kyoya's wrist with one hand and pried the cellphone out from between his fingers with another hand.

Kyoya huffed and opened his mouth to complain when he suddenly realized what position they were in. He was, very effectively, pinned down. (M/n) was straddling him, the blankets a mess around their legs, and the (N) was using only one hand to hold Kyoya's arms above his head. His heart caught in his throat, especially once he noticed the dangerous glare he was receiving.

"Go. The fuck. To sleep. No wonder you're always so tired and crabby in the morning. Give yourself more than five hours, _geez!_ "

The (h/c) released his bed mate, rolling over with the phone in his hands. He shut it and gently placed it on the floor on his side of the bed before curling more comfortably into his pillow. Now, if he had been a little less cranky with his current lack of sleep, he might've noticed that Kyoya had yet to move since being released. He hadn't made any sort of apology, or request for his phone back, or even an excuse for keeping (M/n) up.

In all honesty, Kyoya was too busy trying to remember how to breath normally. And once his tired brain had caught up with all of the past events of the night, (M/n) was finally fast asleep.

*Time Skip*

The next time he woke up, (M/n) couldn't help but think, _Now what?_

His internal question was answered with a full body shiver. Where the heck were the blankets?

Still shivering slightly, he sat up on his elbow and looked down. His right foot was the only thing still covered by the light blue bed sheet, the rest having been pulled over to Kyoya's side of the bed. At first, (M/n) wasn't sure if he was still asleep, because there was no way in the real world that Kyoya Ootori would be cocooned in a bed sheet and snuggled up into a little ball, right? He seemed more like the kind of person to remain still the entire time he was asleep, only to wake up with perfectly tousled hair and a need for coffee.

The (h/c) haired boy stared at his bed partner for a few more seconds before he got too cold to sit still. Was the heater broken?

Sleepily, he stumbled to his feet. It was too dark for him to attempt to fix the A/C into a more comfortable temperature, and Tamaki had warned him about waking Kyoya up when he hadn't gotten enough sleep, so he simply stumbled over to the small closet near the front of the room. Pulling it open, he stretched up on his toes to feel for the top shelf.

 _Towel..._

 _Towel..._

 _Travel shampoo..._

 _OUCH!_

 _...Bottom of a shelf..._

 _Aha!_

(M/n) grabbed the fluffy comforter that had probably been put away for the summer months and yanked it down into his arms. It was heavy in the really comfortable way, and the (N) shuffled back to bed, already nodding off a little as he thought about being cushioned with the comforter.

Sitting down, he haphazardly threw it over his body, making sure his cold feet were covered before settling back down onto his back. With Kyoya curled up, there was a little more room, so he took advantage of it. The mattress was still slightly warm from his body heat, and the new blanket on top of him was warming quickly. His eyes closed for what was a promising good few more hours of sleep... when he felt a tremor run through the bed.

(M/n) turned his head to the right. Kyoya had just shivered.

Biting down a groan, but also thinking it was cute, he took pity on the boy and threw half of the comforter over him as well. That was nice of him, right? He smiled, head still facing the ravenet as he began to drift off. _And tomorrow, when Kyoya wakes up all warm, he'll see the comforter and think it was really kind of me to share with him. Maybe he'll try to apologize for stealing the blanket, too, and I'll slip in that it was kinda cute-_

" _Are you freaking kidding me?_ " He whispered to the otherwise quiet room.

Now just a little more than ticked off, (M/n) reopened his eyes and watched as Kyoya's right hand tugged at the fluffy comforter, trying to cocoon himself with it as well. (M/n)'s left side was already starting to peek out from under the blanket. Frowning in annoyance, the (h/c) haired boy grabbed at the quarter that was still above him, holding tight despite the constant yanking. Kyoya shifted in his sleep and tugged, but (M/n) refused to budge.

He sat up a little, preparing to kick the sleeping boy in warning, 'Low Blood-Pressure Demon Lord' be damned.

" _Mmm..._ "

He paused, staring incredulously at Kyoya, who was still lightly tugging at the comforter.

 _Holy shit... that was the cutest thing I've ever heard._

(M/n) had never given much thought to people being different when they were asleep compared to being awake. The only people he'd been around while asleep he hadn't been able to observe, because he had been sleeping as well. But listening to Kyoya softly whine at not being able to snuggle in the warm blanket, it floored him. This was nothing like the usual Kyoya he had gotten to know. Sleepy Kyoya was pushy, but in a more obvious way. A little pathetic, and clear in what he wanted. (M/n) found himself unintentionally adoring the sleeping boy just as much as he did the awake one.

There was another tug, bringing the (N) out of his thoughts, and he groaned in defeat. But he couldn't sleep while he was freezing, either.

Deciding to just do what he'd wanted to do since he crawled into bed that evening and deal with the resulting problems in the future -because he was really, _really_ , tired- (M/n) released the comforter, laid back down, and rolled onto his right side. Just as Kyoya started tugging the thick blanket over his body again, the (h/c) haired boy slipped his left arm underneath it. Quickly wrapping the arm around Kyoya's waist, (M/n) rolled back onto his back, pulled the other boy away from the other edge of the bed and into (M/n)'s side.

The ravenet let out another soft noise, more of a groan this time, displeased with being moved. However, after a few seconds, he shuffled closer to the warm body behind him.

(M/n) blushed, part of his brain chastising him for taking advantage of Kyoya being asleep to hold him close like he would with a boyfriend, while the other was simply happy to be warm yet again. With Kyoya pressed against his side and no longer tugging on the comforter, there was still just enough of it not wrapped around the ravenet's body to keep (M/n) covered, along with the first set of sheets that had been stolen earlier.

He relaxed further into the mattress, finally relenting to his exhaustion. As he began to drift off, for real this time, he felt Kyoya turn around in his sleep, one arm slipping across (M/n)'s chest and his head falling perfectly onto his shoulder. Kyoya's short black hair brushed at his cheek as he sighed.

(M/n) hadn't expected that, but he wasn't complaining either.

*The Next Morning*

Kyoya let his eyelids crack open just a peek. At first, all he saw was a dark room lightly tinged with the blue-grey of early morning light peeking around the curtains that had been drawn shut the night before. His whole body felt like a puddle of warmth and contentment. So this is what it feels like to be well rested? He could get used to this.

Sighing, he was about to indulge in another few minutes of sleep before Tamaki hunted him down for another 'fun filled day' when his pillow moved.

Eyes suddenly wide open, he lifted his head and found himself staring at a still sleeping (M/n). The other boy was breathing deeply, hair a mess that splayed out on his pillow, and Kyoya had been using his _shoulder_ for his _pillow._

Not only that, but Kyoya realized that his right arm was extended across the taller boy's chest like a safety bar, which he quickly removed, but couldn't move away. Not that he didn't try, but because of the arm that was curled around his back. From the shoulder Kyoya had been using to sleep on, (M/n)'s arm had settled following the slight curve of the ravenet's back. It was official. He and (M/n) had been _cuddling_ in their sleep. Kyoya wasn't sure if he was terrified or grateful for this unexpected turn of events.

Deciding to move away, least (M/n) wake up and -Heaven forbid- get angry with him, Kyoya slowly moved up to his left elbow.

He was stopped by a groan of disagreement, followed by (M/n) rolling over to grab at the escaping boy, pinning him down to the mattress. Kyoya's breath caught in his throat, eyes staring straight ahead when he felt something soft press against his forehead. A sigh from the boy now in front of him ruffled his bangs and sent a sudden chill of goosebumps down his arms.

There was now no way for him to move without _somehow_ waking (M/n) up. He didn't really want that to happen, but now there was no choice in whether or not the (h/c) found them like this or not. So... until then... he might as well enjoy this.

Smirking, Kyoya shifted a little closer, throwing his own arm around (M/n)'s waist and closing his eyes.

He slowly breathed in the (N)'s scent when he felt, more than heard, a soft chuckle. His eyes opened yet again just as the arm around his waist tightened.

" _Good morning._ "

(M/n) laughed softly at how Kyoya's head jerked backwards to face him, smiling at the surprised and shocked/embarrassed expression on his face, " _What? Did you think I was just going to let you end our early morning cuddling without even a 'Good morning'?_ "

Kyoya can't find the words. (M/n) had been _awake this whole time?_

The (h/c)'s smile dipped a little, his left thumb rubbing distracting circles along the slight curve of Kyoya's waist, " _I... you kept stealing the blankets last night... and this was the only way you'd share. Sorry if this is weird... but I thought you'd be much more upset._ " He met Kyoya's eyes, not bothering to hide the nervousness within them, "Y _ou... did seem to like it..._ "

Kyoya almost couldn't believe what he was hearing. So instead, he slightly pushed at (M/n)'s left shoulder until he was lying on his back. The other boy looked confused, but that cleared up quickly when Kyoya replaced his head onto his shoulder. Exactly how he'd woken up that morning.

"I can't answer that question because I'm still asleep. And so are you."

(M/n) snorts, but holds Kyoya a little closer, "Of course. That also means we have to stay in this position. Because we're still asleep. And we don't know that we're holding each other like this."

Kyoya smirks, looking up at the taller boy, "No, we know. But we happen to like each other, too."

He earned a tight squeeze for that.

* * *

 **Fluff. And OOC Kyoya. I'm sorry, I really tried to fix it, but it was hard.**

 **If you liked it, please favorite, follow, and review!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	16. Dog Walking

**Right… so, I'm assuming my last chapter wasn't very good. Or offensive. I'm not quite sure which. I'm hoping this one goes over better.**

 **I'm gonna open requests, too. Maybe that'll help. Just leave an AU or writing prompt you'd like me to write about, and I'll try my best to make it come to life!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own OHSHC**

* * *

 **(F/n) = First name**

 **(L/n) = Last name**

 **(h/c) = Hair color (brunette, ravenette, blonde, redhead)**

 **(e/c) = Eye color**

 **(F/d/b) = Favorite dog breed**

* * *

Dog Walking

"KYOYA!"

After years of being best friends with someone who does not understand the appropriate volume of one's voice when speaking to another on the phone, Kyoya Ootori had finally gotten to the point where he wouldn't press the 'answer' button on his phone unless the device was about an arm's length away. At the moment, it was resting on his desk, next to his right hand, as he continued to type up a S.W.O.T. analysis for Volkswagen, which was due next week in his Management 251 class.

"Yes, Tamaki?"

"I NEED YOUR HELP!"

Sighing, Kyoya leaned back in his chair and grabbed his phone, holding it in front of his face so he wouldn't need to shout, but wouldn't lose his hearing either, "With what, dare I ask?"

"I asked Haruhi to go to the movies with me, but I forgot to walk Antoinette before I left! Could you please walk her around the complex before it gets dark? I'll pay for your lunch tomorrow!"

The ravenet bit back a groan, he'd finally been getting somewhere with the paper…

"Kyoya, please do this for me? You're the only one other than Haruhi who has a key to my place."

Rubbing a hand down his face, nearly knocking his glasses off his nose, Kyoya reached forward and shut his laptop, "Very well."

"Thank you, Mon Ami!"

"Don't forget to buy my lunch for tomorrow."

"I won't! Good night!"

"Good night. Enjoy your movie."

 _Click!_

Taking another deep breath, Kyoya slipped his phone into his pocket and stood up, grabbing the jacket that was hanging off the back of his chair before heading to the front door.

*Time Skip*

It only took Kyoya four minutes to get his shoes on, lock his door, and walk to the other end of the complex where Tamaki lived.

Sticking the black-tip painted brass key into the lock of apartment number 2, Kyoya heard the tumblers slide out of place and excited paws hitting the ground. Opening the door, he was enthusiastically greeted by the golden retriever. Antoinette might be getting up there in years now that her owner and his friends were in college, but she was still the same loveable and energetic dog she had been when Tamaki first bought her.

Kyoya slipped inside the apartment and scratched the retriever behind her ears for a few moments before grabbing her leash from the wall. If possible, that excited Antoinette even more and she started pacing next to the front door, whining. Her friend for the evening smirked at the display. Tamaki's pet was so much like him, it was scary.

As the ravenet clipped the hook around her collar, he toyed with the idea of owning a pet himself. He'd never really considered it seriously before, but for some reason the idea of having an animal companion didn't seem like such a bad idea. Perhaps once he graduated. That would be the proper time, anyways.

Opening the door once again, the retriever quickly slipped out and started sniffing around. Kyoya was worried she'd pull him away from the front door before he could lock it, but surprisingly she wasn't tugging on the leash at all. Huh… perhaps Tamaki actually knew how to train a dog?

No, it was probably because one of his staff members back home trained her…

Either way, Kyoya and the dog started off the walk without a hitch. Antoinette relieved herself right away on a bush in the very front, so now it was just exercise for the two of them. And it was surprisingly relaxing. The sun was low enough in the sky that the trees separating the complex from the road that lead to campus was blocking it's light, but it was still warm enough for Kyoya to only have on a light jacket. Antoinette seemed to be enjoying herself too, tail wagging in time with her steps, occasionally pausing to sniff at an interesting plant before continuing on.

The pair rounded the first corner of the building. Kyoya breathed in the fresh air and looked around. Between the trees and the complex, there was a little open area. A few picnic benches were dotting the grass, as well as a couple random trees to provide shade in the late spring or early fall semesters. There weren't many people outside at this time of day, just a small handful of people playing a game of Frisbee and a girl sitting at one of the picnic tables with a book in hand. And yet, Antoinette remained completely calm.

Kyoya smirked again, wondering if he should offer to walk Antoinette once in awhile for Tamaki. The blond probably wouldn't mind-

"No!"

While his mind had been elsewhere, Antoinette suddenly took off, the leash slipping out of Kyoya's loose grip before he even knew what was happening. He ran after her, calling her name, but she was ignoring him.

For a moment of panic, he worried that she was running for the Frisbee game. If she caught the toy and chewed it up, he'd have to not only replace the funds for whoever owned it, but have to worry that someone would file a complaint against owning pets. There weren't many apartments near campus that allowed dogs, and Kyoya knew that Tamaki would be heartbroken if he had to get rid of Antoinette or move further away from his best friend and girlfriend.

The ravenet ran faster.

He watched the dog, trying to draw in enough breath to call out a warning when the retriever changed course. Barking happily, Antoinette started for the girl with the book. Surprised, Kyoya didn't shout 'look out' like he'd planned originally, but at least he didn't need too. The bark made the (h/c) lift her head and stare at the dog fast approaching her.

Instead of the surprise or possibly even fear Kyoya had expected to appear on her face, the girl beamed and set down her book. She lifted her legs up over the bench so she was sitting sideways along the wood.

"Antoinette! Hi, girl!" The retriever ran right up to the girl, sitting down in between her knees and letting herself be pet, her tail wagging so hard Kyoya worried she'd sprain it somehow.

Puffing heavily as he comes to a stop on the other side of the table, Kyoya pressed his hands against the wooden top and looks at the girl. She's staring at him with (e/c) eyes full of surprise, "Uh… where's Tamaki?"

Swallowing, Kyoya didn't think twice about sitting down across from the (h/c) to catch his breath, "At the movies… with Haruhi… I'm sorry… she got loose…"

"It's no trouble," the girl smiled shyly before looking back down at the dog she was piling the attention on. Kyoya noticed she was blushing. Why? Sure, she was actually really cute and the blush just added onto the endearing factor, but why would she blush? For the first time in a while, Kyoya knew that it couldn't be because of his looks. He was sweaty and out of breath and his hair was probably a mess after chasing the crazy dog currently being doted on. How could that be appealing?

"So… what's your name? And why do you have Tamaki's dog?"

"Oh." Kyoya pushed his glasses back up his nose, breath coming out steadily now, "My name is Kyoya Ootori. I'm a friend of Tamaki's, and I live in one of the apartments here. He forgot to walk Antoinette before he went on a movie date with Haruhi, so he asked me to do it instead. I didn't expect her to run away like that."

The girl giggled, grinning at the dog as she rubbed at Antoinette's floppy ears, "Are you making trouble for Kyoya? You stinker!" She looked back at the ravenet and held out her right hand over the table, "It's nice to meet you, Kyoya Ootori. I'm (F/n) (L/n). Tamaki and Antoinette come say 'hello' to me every once in awhile on their walks. I guess she's gotten attached..."

Kyoya took her hand and shook it, smiling as charmingly as he could now that his heart rate was dropping back to normal, "It's wonderful to meet you."

The girl blushed again and pulled her hand away much too soon for Kyoya's taste, "So… you like dogs, too?"

"I haven't met that many, to be honest, but I do think they've grown on me." He was gifted with another smile, "And you?"

"Of course." (F/n) scratched the retriever underneath her collar, just above her shoulder blade, "Human's don't deserve dogs, but I'm so glad that they disagree with us. I want one so bad… but I can't afford one at the moment. I think I'd like a (F/d/b)..."

Kyoya smiled, "Great choice."

(F/n) pressed her lips together, like she was fighting back a grin, "Well… I should probably let you two get back to your walk before the sun sets."

"Oh, of course." Kyoya stood back up, graciously taking back the leash (F/n) was holding out over the table. For some odd reason, he didn't really want to leave. He liked talking to the (h/c) girl, as short as their conversation had been.

"Um…" (F/n) was smiling gently at the boy, "It was really nice to meet you, Kyoya. Will I be seeing you around?"

Kyoya considered the question before smirking, "I'd say that's a likely scenario." He walked away with the image of her last smile etching itself into his memory, already starting to list the different ways he could convince Tamaki to let him walk Antoinette more often.

* * *

 **Okay, it's a short cute little thing, but I didn't have a lot of time for much else. Besides, I didn't want it to drag on.**

 **If you liked, let me know by following or favoriting this collection of stories! And I'll always appreciate reviews!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	17. Pick-up Lines

**Okay! One of my first requests! I hope this goes over well for us all.**

 **Thank you to drkm2000, AusllyBeliever, queenglitch, and a guest for your reviews on my last chapter. This chapter is a request from that guest, too. Drkm2000's request will be the next chapter! I hope you enjoy this one!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the Host Club boys!**

* * *

 **(F/n) = First name**

 **(L/n) = Last name**

 **(N/n) = Nickname**

 **(h/c) = Hair color (Blonde, ravenette, redhead, brunette, etc.)**

 **(e/c) = Eye color**

 **(N) = Nationality**

 **(O/L) = Original language**

 **(F/b) = Favorite book series**

 **(f/c) = Favorite color**

 **(s/f/c) = Second favorite color**

 **(f/s) = Favorite school subject**

 **(f/m) = Favorite movie**

* * *

Pick-up Lines

" _Bored~!_ "

It's incredible the weight a simple word can carry when spoken by the right person. Or people. For example, the second the twins said that one word in unison, a majority of the host club quickly took shelter behind the nearest furniture item. Kyoya was the only one not currently huddled in fear, but his eyes were still watching the twins closely.

Haruhi called out from behind the pillar she had slipped behind, "Um… how bored are we talking about here?"

"We want to play a game."

"Right. So… Tag or World War 3?"

The twins shared a look before smirking dangerously, "How about…"

"...a friendly competition?"

Honey peeked his head up from behind a couch, Mori prepared to yank him back down should the twins try to snatch him, "What kind of competition? Like a cake eating competition?"

"Let's call it… 'Pick-up Lines'."

Tamaki wriggled a little bit out from under the coffee table, "How do you play? What's the goal of it?"

"Well, in order to win-"

"-someone has to figure out the best pick-up line-"

"-for a certain girl."

Haruhi rolled her eyes, "Is that all?"

"No. We're also vying for the best reaction."

"Uh, huh. And which girl are we talking here? A client?"

"(F/n)."

The room lapses back into silence. (F/n) was Ouran's newest student, a(n) (N) who arrived about five months ago. Oddly enough, she had quickly bonded with the host club, but not as a client. No, she was in the same class as Haruhi, Hikaru and Kaoru, and was a good friend to them all, which slowly morphed to a friendship with the rest of the club. But… none of them had ever seen her interested in a guy before, and they were all pretty curious in all honesty. Except for Haruhi, of course, but she didn't care much for those topics no matter _who_ you were talking about.

No one was outright challenging the idea, so Hikaru quickly explained the rules, "Everyone gets one chance this week to try a pick-up line on (F/n), and the host with the best positive reaction before Friday ends, wins."

Kaoru adds, "But you aren't allowed to make her uncomfortable. It's meant to be fun."

The hosts think it through. They had all sort of wondered what would catch (F/n)'s attention. She seemed pretty much immune to their usual hosting techniques, but she had yet to have a boyfriend. This could become a sort of research project. As each host agrees, they come out of their hiding place.

"I wanna compliment (N/n)-chan! Doesn't it sound fun, Takashi?"

"Mhm."

"Well, it's almost not fair if I play, since no one can beat the prince, but I suppose I will anyways."

"There's always a first time for everything, Tamaki, and I suppose it would be interesting to see what works on her."

The six boys looks towards the pillar Haruhi was still behind. After a few more moments, she walks into the open, "I'm not playing, but I suppose someone has to keep you boys from going over the top."

"Perfect~!" The twins stood up from their couch and stretched.

"Who goes first?"

Hikaru smiled widely, "That would be me."

Line 1

Hikaru

Without another word, he headed out the door with the others on his tail. Most of the boys asked questions about what Hikaru had planned, but the twin wouldn't budge. The group arrived at the third library room after a moment and paused outside the doors.

Kyoya, who was once again scribbling in his black journal, asked his first question just before Hikaru opened the door, "At least tell us what kind of pick-up line you plan to use. Classic, subtle, funny?"

Hikaru peeked at the Shadow King from over his shoulder. "Flirtatious~," he purred before slipping inside. The hosts froze for a moment as Hikaru's word slowly sunk in. Tamaki practically ripped the door off its hinges to follow the "devil twin", Kaoru right behind him and ready to clasp his hands over the blond's mouth should he suddenly scream out.

He needn't have worried, though. Tamaki was well aware that Ouran's librarians were not to be trifled with. While they might not mind some mindless chatter, the Host Club's President suddenly screaming at another boy for flirting with his "daughter" would be grounds for immediate ejection from the library.

As it was, the library was somewhat abuzz with quiet noise as small groups of students conversed or worked on class projects. Haruhi had never understood how (F/n) was able to focus in such an environment, but her friend seemed to be able to read anywhere. She could probably go skydiving and be able to power through a chapter or two on the way down.

Like they'd expected, she was curled up in a window arch with a pillow at her back and a book in hand, clearly lost in the pages. It looked like she was going through (F/b), again.

Six hosts ducked behind a bookshelf and peered out as Hikaru approached the brunette. He looked confident. (F/n) was so absorbed in her novel that she wasn't even aware of the redhead beside her until he leaned down right next to her ear.

"Excuse me, miss~" (F/n) squeaked and jumped, her book nearly tumbling out of her hands. Tamaki, Honey, and Kaoru let out quiet 'awws' at the high pitched noise and the cute surprised look on her face.

She whirled around and pressed her back into the corner, eyes wide. Hikaru didn't move. He only smiled flirtatiously at her, leaning against the wall and peering around the corner into her little cavern.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I just wanted to ask if you believed in love at first sight, or if I should walk by again?"

The six boys behind the bookshelf withdrew from poking their heads out from around the corner. For a moment, their faces are blank. Then Kaoru dissolved into stifled laughter, falling to his knees. Tamaki sits on the floor and hides his face in his hands. Mori simply facepalms and drags his hand down to cover his mouth. Haruhi pinches the bridge of her nose and Kyoya closes his eyes in disbelief of Hikaru's stupidity. Honey just stands still, confused.

That? _That_ was what he was going with? For his _one shot_? Tamaki wondered where he went wrong.

(F/n) herself blinked at Hikaru, as if trying to decide if he was joking or not, "Uh… Hikaru? This is most definitely _not_ the first time I've seen you. We've known each other for months."

Hikaru's smirk slipped off to be replaced with embarrassment. He straightened up to his full height and rubbed the back of his neck, "Oh, r-right. I, uh, I just thought you were someone else. Sorry."

(F/n) smirked and snorted, "Really? And you used _that_ line? Well, I guess I should wish you good luck with finding her, but do yourself a favor and come up with a different line. That one is really overused and kind of stupid. No offense."

"None taken. Right. Thanks. See you later, (F/n)."

"Bye!"

Hikaru walked away, looking dead to the world. The other hosts congregated around him and escorted him from the library. The poor boy's whole face was beet red, the blush having even spread to the tips of his ears and down his neck.

Kaoru was the first to break the silence as they walked down the hallway.

"Really?"

"I thought she'd enjoy one of those cheesy/flirty lines and laugh, alright! Don't judge me!"

"Oh, trust me, bro, we're _all_ judging you."

Hikaru groaned and hung his head as the others laughed. He'd pretty much wasted his turn. His brother merely laughed and hugged him around his neck, "But I suppose I should thank you. You just gave me an idea for my turn."

Kyoya peeked at the twins over the lip of his journal as he scribbled the word 'Confused' below Hikaru's name and the word 'Flirtatious/Cheesy'.

Line 2

Kaoru

The rest of the club had to wait until the club activities had finished for the day before Kaoru made his move. Once again, the only hint they had regarding the twin's line was that he classified it as 'Funny'. Hopefully Kaoru's view of funny was the same as (F/n)'s.

As the last client closed the double doors behind her, Kaoru stood up from his couch and walked over to (F/n) with a determined look on his face. The other boys continued going about their business, but their eyes followed the twin's movements.

Like with Hikaru, (F/n) was too busy to notice Kaoru's approach, clearing Tamaki's host table of tea cups. Even though she wasn't a client, she did enjoy hanging around the club room and helping out here and there. Sometimes she talked to the guests or refilled empty teapots, and at the end of the day she would pitch in and clear up tables.

Some days she's have her phone blaring songs to jam out to as they all worked, singing along and occasionally taking breaks to have lip-sync battles with Tamaki and the twins. Today, however, the poor girl looked exhausted. Once the dishes were gathered onto her tray, she fell backwards onto the couch and shut her eyes, letting out a sigh as her dress skirt fluffed around around her.

Kyoya and Haruhi both made mental notes to remind her to go to sleep early tonight.

"(F/n)!" Her eyes shot open, but her movements were slow as she turned her head to face the younger twin. For a moment, the two stared at each other in silence.

"What?"

"Feel my uniform!" The hosts exchanged glances as he offered a corner of his jacket to the girl. _What was he doing?_

(F/n) appeared just as confused.

"Why?"

"Just do it."

"Uh… okay." Tentatively, her hand reached up to grip the hem of his school jacket.

"Know what material that is?" At Kaoru's challenge, (F/n)'s eyes lost some of the tired look and she rubbed the fabric between her fingers. Her eyes narrowed as she thought.

She and Kaoru voiced their opinions at the same time.

"Cotton."

"Boyfriend material."

(F/n) looks at him, her eyes blinking a little sleepily, "What? Sorry, I didn't catch that."

Kaoru's face was red, "Uh… cotton. You got it right. I need to… go now." Pulling himself out of her loose grip, he escaped back to his brother's awaiting arms on their own couch, leaving behind a puzzled (h/c). She caught Haruhi's gaze, the girls shrugged at each other and (F/n) stood up, grabbing the tray of dishes on her way up. When she disappeared back into the kitchen, the hosts surrounded the embracing twins.

"Well, the 'Masterminds' are both out on the same day."

Kaoru looked blankly at Tamaki before attempting to stand up, "Excuse me, I have to go jump off a cliff now." Hikaru pulled him back into the chair.

"Relax, Kaoru. That was a creative line, at least."

"Thanks, Haruhi."

"Awww… my daughter is so nice to everyone!"

"Senpai! Let me go!"

Kyoya wrote 'Literal' beside Kaoru's name before asking, "Who wants to go next?"

"Who goes next for what?" The boys (and Haruhi) whipped around to see (F/n) standing just outside of their little circle. She still looked tired, but curious. The hosts simultaneously sweat dropped. She was far too quiet.

"Uh… we were talking about… who was going to clear off their tables first before you had to work any harder today, (F/n)!" As soon as Tamaki shouted the lie, the hosts split and ran to clean up their respective coffee tables. (F/n) looked around at them all and smiled.

They were so thoughtful.

Line 3

Honey

Even as Tuesday rolled around, the boys still left in the game had yet to come up with their own pick-up lines that might work on (F/n). Unaware of the frustration she was putting her friends through, the (N) went through her usual routine. It wasn't until they were halfway through their active hours that Honey suddenly stood up on his chair with a cheerful gleam in his eye.

"I got one!"

The boys looked over at him, knowing instantly what he was talking about. His and Mori's guests stared at the small boy in confusion, but before they could question him Honey had bounded off towards the kitchen.

"(N/n)-chan!"

It took a few moments, but (F/n) appeared at the kitchen door, a teapot in her hands, "Honey-senpai? What's up?"

The boys, who were watching with interest, noted her dress for the day. (F/n) had a total of five 'Host Club' dresses that Tamaki had insisted on. Since she was 'technically' a part of the club, the President had made the case that wearing something other than her school uniform would eliminate any confusion. (F/n) had attempted to ask what confusion he was referring to, since everyone knew she was close to the hosts, but by then Tamaki's mind was set.

Today she was wearing her (f/c) dress with sweetheart neckline and a high-low skirt. She looked very cute in it.

Honey wasted no time, "(N/n)-chan, you owe me a cake!"

She raised an eyebrow and a small smirk quirked at her lips, "Oh really? And why is that?"

"Cause when I saw you in that pretty dress, I dropped mine!"

"Uh, huh." (F/n) laughed and retreated back into the kitchen before coming back out with a red velvet cake perched perfectly on a white plate, "Here you go, sweetie. If you 'drop' any more I have plenty of cakes for you." She patted his head and walked back into the kitchen to prepare more snacks.

Honey looked at the cake, a little disappointed it seemed, and walked back to his and Mori's table. He set the cake on the table as the other hosts excused themselves and walked over, Kyoya scribbling the word 'Cute' by Honey's name.

"Honey-senpai? Are you okay?"

"Well… it didn't work the way I had planned it… but I count it as a win anyways!"

"Uh… what do you mean, Honey?"

The other hosts walked away as Honey began explaining the host's game to his clients in between bites of cake, and they soon found themselves being asked the same question. Kyoya, who didn't have any guests at the moment, simply wrote 'Fondly went along' under the word 'Cute'. He narrowed his eyes a bit and flipped to the other side of the page, scribbling a quick sentence and crossing another one out.

He was going to run out of room on this page soon...

Line 4

Haruhi

"So, Haruhi… what line are you going to use on (F/n)?"

The brunette choked on her sip of tea. As she coughed a bit, her three guests giggled with each other. _Oh, right._ After Honey's attempt yesterday, the clients of the Host Club had been made aware of the little game the boys were playing. Surprisingly, all the girls thought it was a cute little idea. Except, Haruhi had forgotten that they were expecting _her_ to play as well.

"W-well, I wasn't actually going to play the game. I'm just sticking around to make sure none of the others go overboard with their lines or make (F/n) feel uncomfortable."

"But why not play along? I bet you'd win!"

"Yeah! You probably know a lot about (F/n) since you live next door to each other! Has she ever mentioned what she likes in a boy? Come on, Haruhi, you should try it!"

"Oh, I wonder which of you will crack her shell? Maybe she'll even start dating whoever wins!"

If Haruhi hadn't put down her teacup, she would've dropped it, "D-date?"

Her three guests started squealing, "Yes! Can you imagine?"

"Watching them be romantic with each other during club hours! Maybe even hosting _together!_ "

"I would love to see you all so happy!"

"But… but I thought…"

"Oh, Haruhi, you boys are always so clueless."

"We may love talking to you Hosts, but we all know that most likely none of us will ever get together with you."

"So, most of us just want so see you love someone! It refreshing and heartwarming to see you guys act differently around 'special' girls. It's so cute!"

Haruhi couldn't come up with a response. _They really think that? That's actually really selfless and kind of them. But (F/n) and a host? Who would she-_

"So, what line are you going to use, Haruhi?"

"Ah... " The brunette glanced around the room to see if the others were experiencing similar pressure. Surprisingly, or perhaps not, she was quick to notice that the answer to her question was 'yes'.

Over at Honey and Mori's table, half of the girls were patting the small blond's head while the other half were scribbling different things on a piece of paper the tall 3rd year was staring blankly at. The twins were also being consoled by their guests. Tamaki and Kyoya had a healthy dosage of girls at their tables, and while the blond looked vaguely overwhelmed, his friend had managed to calm his guests down as was now discussing something with them. A strategy?

"Haruhi?"

"Huh? Oh! I, uh, haven't thought about it. Truthfully, I don't even know many pick-up lines…"

The girls looked curious, heads tilting to their left, "You don't?"

"Which ones _do_ you know?"

Haruhi shrugged, "Just the overused ones."

"Like, a traditional pick-up line?" The girls started talking to each other about how they would love to hear an old-fashioned line every once in awhile. One of them argued that it might seem unoriginal, but the others fought back with the idea of someone who acted nervous enough about it would make it endearing.

Haruhi scrunched her eyebrows together, considering. _Well, I might as well get this over with._

Standing up, she walked around her table. There were multiple whispers from all four corners of the room as everyone stared at her. The pressure was almost overwhelming. Thankfully, (F/n) was off to the side of the room, working on what looked like (f/s), so the small brunette girl didn't feel _as_ surrounded. Haruhi briefly wished that she could be sitting with the (h/c) and doing her own homework instead of hosting, but pushed it to the back of her mind.

"Hey, did it hurt?"

(F/n)'s pencil stilled for a moment, her (e/c) eyes flicking up to glance at her neighbor before returning to her homework, "Did what hurt?"

"When you fell from Heaven?"

At that, she stopped writing altogether. For a moment, (F/n) stared at her paper in confusion before looking up, "Did… did you just call me… Satan?"

"What?!" Haruhi felt like all the blood had drained to her feet, "No! No, no, no, no! I didn't mean to-"

(F/n) started laughing, her free hand coming up to press at her forehead, "It's okay, Haruhi! Hahaha! I've wanted to say that for forever! Thank you! Ahahaha!"

Haruhi, in relief, began laughing along, almost doubling over. (F/n) was grinning and laughing, leaning back in her seat, too absorbed in the fact that she got to use that anti-line to consider asking her friend why she'd used the line in the first place.

Across the room, Kyoya scribbled the words 'Used anti-line' in his journal before frowning at it. Anti pick-up lines. He'd forgotten about those.

Line 5

Mori

Thursday rolled around, and it was clear the guests were growing anxious. Two days and three hosts left. And it was already hosting hours!

Some of the hosts were beginning to worry about how into this contest their guests were getting. They'd never say so out loud, but sometimes the female population of Ouran Academy scared them… just a little.

It would seem as though Mori was their next target for pushing out a pick-up line. Perhaps they thought he'd need the most help? That was a little hurtful. Either way, he should've realized it when his and Mitsukuni's guests invited the (h/c) to sit with them for a little while, and what they were doing became very clear a few moments later.

"Oh… wouldn't it be so romantic if someone came up to you and said you were the reason the sun shined every morning?"

The girls around them sighed, making doe-eyes into space. (F/n) raised a questioning eyebrow at the cousins, who simply shook their heads. They had no idea what the girls were doing. It didn't count if _they_ said it _for_ Mori. And besides, it was clear that the (N) was getting a little uncomfortable as the girls continued spouting romantic pick-up lines.

Finally, one of the guests turned to (F/n) and smiled softly, "Could you imagine if someone wrote out a list of all the things they loved about you?"

At that, (F/n) managed a smirk, "Well, wouldn't _that_ be the shortest list _ever._ "

Instantly, the table quieted. They stared at the (h/c) in something akin to alarm. That was _not_ the reaction they'd expected. Was she not reacting positively to the game because... she didn't think anyone liked her in that way?

Their follow up questions were interrupted with the sound of pencil lead frantically scribbling over paper. The group around the table turned to see Mori writing something hurriedly on a piece of notebook paper. It took only another second before he was passing it over to the (N) and sitting back, his face just as emotionless as ever.

(F/n) blinked at him for a moment before looking down at the paper, the guests crowding around her to take a look. It was a list, with only one word.

-Everything

There was another flurry of blinks from the girl before she smiled softly. The surrounding girls squealed and clutched each other as (F/n) held out her hand for the pencil Mori was still holding. Curious, he gave it to her. She scribbled her own message beneath his 'list' before handing it back with a small blush.

(F/n) gave the boy a strange look before walking towards the kitchen.

The moment she disappeared from view, everyone in the room crowded around Mori and Honey's table, the hosts front and center. That had been the most positive reaction yet! Hikaru and Kaoru lightly punched their senpai's shoulders while the others asked about her response.

The ravenet held the paper up for them to see.

'You smooth fucker'

That was it.

"That's kinda... anti-climatic.

Haruhi snorted and shook her head, "She just thought you were playing along with the guests. But good on you for making her smile."

Kyoya slipped out of the crowd, his opened black journal balancing in his left hand as he writes out the words 'Smooth' and 'Blushed, but assumes is an example' before snapping the journal shut. For some reason, he feels… irritated.

Perhaps it's because the guests were growing more focused on (F/n) and potential romances than the hosts themselves? That could be a real problem in the near future.

Line 6

Tamaki

"Hey, what's all this?"

The large group currently huddled around Mori and Honey dispersed a little, enough for most of them to see the (N) watching them in interest. The hosts shuffled their feet. How were they going to dismiss _this_ one? The game would be ruined if (F/n) figured out what they were playing.

Thankfully, their guests were pretty smart.

"We… we were just a little worried with your reaction to the list thing."

"Don't you know that people think you're pretty?"

(F/n) blushed, a hand coming up to grab at her (s/f/c) dress skirt, "I dunno… I guess so. It's just, I don't see myself that way." She shrugged, "I'm trash."

There was a small murmuring that rippled through the group before a voice from the middle piped up, "You know, as someone who cares deeply for the environment, I'm obligated to pick you up."

Tamaki walked up to (F/n) and tipped her backwards. Her left foot stopped touching the ground, shoulder blades parallel to the floor as he leaned in close.

"Is seven okay?"

"Pfffahahahahaaaa!" (F/n) began laughing, her right hand pushing lightly at Tamaki's cheek until he pulled away, lifting her back onto her own too feet, "Oh my gohohosh, Tamaki! Geez!"

The whole group began laughing as the girl hugged her friend. Even Kyoya chuckled as he wrote 'Subtle' next to his best friend's name.

As the (h/c) began teasing Tamaki for the line, the ravenet turned back to the other side of the page. His pen made a few marks here and there at the very bottom of the page, but eventually he nodded. It was as good as it was going to get.

Line 7

Kyoya

" _Psst. Kyoya-senpai!_ "

" _You have to do it now!_ "

The ravenet ignored the twins whispers, instead focusing on the end of the movie playing in front of him. He and the seven other members of the Ouran Host Club were sitting in (F/n)'s apartment, watching the last few minutes of (f/m). It was (F/n)'s favorite movie of all time, and since Kyoya had suggested - _insisted_ \- that they all have a movie night at her place to start off the weekend, he had convinced the twins that it was only fair to her.

But that also meant he wasn't going to interrupt it with his own pick-up line.

It was true. Friday evening, technically night with the sky dark outside the window, and Kyoya had yet to use his pick up line. According to the rules, he had until the end of the day until he was disqualified, which is why he wanted a movie night. Except, the hosts couldn't figure out what he was waiting for. And they were getting impatient.

It wasn't until the credits started to roll that he moved at all. Standing up from his spot on the couch, the boy started walking towards the armchair (F/n) was sitting in. The hosts collectively caught their breath. (F/n) didn't seem to notice the tension, but did see Kyoya walking towards her. She smiled and held up her empty popcorn bucket, probably thinking he was on his way to the kitchen just behind her, before turning to look at the others.

"So, what movie do you wanna-"

She's cut off with her own squeak as Kyoya practically slammed his hands on the armrests on either side of her, trapping her between his arms.

"I want to pay bills and share household duties and approach our late 20's in a financially and emotionally stable way with you!"

Everyone stared at Kyoya for a long time, mouths hanging open. The ravenet didn't move. His grey eyes remained locked onto (F/n)'s (e/c) ones, leaving no room for miscommunication.

The girl swallowed, "Did… you just… _flirt_ with me?"

At that, he pushed himself away, straightening and brushing imaginary dust off of his sweater, "We have been for the past week, but thank you for noticing."

"Wha…"

The twins began cracking up, "Oh my gosh!"

"That was _gold_ , Kyoya-senpai!"

Honey giggled, "He finally got her to realize it! That's why he went last!"

"That was so _Kyoya!_ Inspired!"

"What are… _what?_ "

Haruhi, taking pity on the girl, sat up a little in her seat, "We've been playing a game with you all week, (F/n). We each used a pick-up line on you to see which kind got the best reaction."

"But you never got it!" The twins complained, "We wasted our turns on the first day!"

"M-monday?" The (h/c) looked like she'd been smacked between the eyes, "So that 'love at first sight thing'... that was for me?"

When they nodded, she buried her face in her hands.

Kyoya smirked at the cute sight, "Well, I suppose this means I win, as I was the only people to get the point across. And objections?" The other boys looked at each other from across the room, shaking their heads. Most were still smiling in amusement. "Then we're in agreement? Wonderful. Thank you, (F/n), for being a good sport."

The (N) looked up at the boy from between her fingers before standing up, marching over to the front door and walked out of the apartment altogether. Her friends immediately stopped laughing.

"Or… perhaps not?"

Bonus Line

(F/n)

"(N/n)-chan? Are you mad at us?"

The (h/c) sighed, dropping her head to hang over the balcony railing. The sky had darkened greatly since they'd started the movie a few hours ago. The sun had completely disappeared over the horizon, and in the distance she could just faintly see the glow of Tokyo, still bustling with life at this late hour. However, at her apartment, there was only the faint glow of streetlights and the moon above them to provide light.

"(N/n)-chan?"

"No, Honey-senpai. I just needed to wrap my head around the fact that I didn't realize you were all flirting with me all week. I'm so dumb."

The twins laughed nervously, stepping out of the apartment with the others, "Don't feel _too_ bad. We all did terrible jobs for the most part."

"Yeah." She hummed with humor, looking up at the sky, "Shame you forgot the best line of all."

Tamaki leaned closer with interest, "The best line?"

"Which would that be?"

The girl smirked before lifting her right hand to the sky. Slowly, she started pointing at the sky in different directions, mouthing words in (O/L) so they couldn't even read her lips. After a few seconds of this, Haruhi stepped up to her friend's left side and looked up.

"What are you pointing at?"

"Stars?"

"And what are you doing with them?"

(F/n) smiled, keeping her (e/c) eyes focused on the dark expanse above her, "Matching each one up with a reason why I love you all." She continued pointing at the sky as the hosts fell silent. That was a _really_ good line, actually. Tamaki was actually ashamed he hadn't come up with it himself.

Suddenly, (F/n)'s hand dropped to the balcony, a pout pushing out her lower lip, "Darn… ran out of stars."

She ignored the stares she was receiving from all sides before two voices spoke in unison behind her.

"You didn't win."

Kyoya chuckled, crossing his arms but keeping his eyes on the (h/c), "No, I suppose I didn't."

Haruhi watched in surprise as (F/n) glanced over her shoulder and gave the ravenet a wink. A memory from two days ago popped back into her head, of a few minutes before she delivered her own line to the (N). The guests had been going on about… (F/n) and a host falling in love.

 _Hmmm..._

* * *

 **Okay… some context. I've have this story idea in my bank since the year I started coming up with OHSHC fanfiction ideas. Like… 2014. This is** _ **old**_ **, but it's managed to avoid the Hiatus folder and the delete button for that whole time, so three cheers for this idea! Anyways, the reason I never uploaded it is because I only wrote out the beginning, Hikaru, and Kaoru's parts before getting a heavy dose of writer's block. Honey's part was written somewhere between 2015 and 2016. I sometimes added in bits and pieces to the other's parts, such as the lines the other boys used and when and how they were implemented. I just could never string them into an actual story line.**

 **Until now, when I got a request for another 'whole Host Club' chapter. And thus, the miracle of requests. They're still open, just so you know.**

 **If you liked this chapter, please follow, or favorite, and leave a review! I enjoy hearing feedback, and this request thing isn't as bad as I thought it would be...**

 **See you next chapter!**


	18. This Music In My Head

**Another request! This one's from drkm2000, another regular reviewer, and they've asked for one of those singing soulmate AU's. Now, I had to do a bit of tweaking, because everyone has different favorite music genre's, but I think it turned out okay for a reader insert.**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

 **Thank you to drkm2000, AusllyBeliever, queenglitch, Miss Belle Sutcliff, and Mikihiko Tada for your reviews! I'm so happy you like my one shots!**

 **Diclaimer: I don't own Kyoya Ootori or any of the other Host Club boys.**

* * *

 **(F/m/g) = Favorite music genre**

 **(F/s) = Favorite song**

 **(E/c) = Eye color**

* * *

 _ **After you turn 15, whenever your soulmate sings, you can hear their voice in your head.**_

 _ **You can also hear their laughter, as for many people their loved one's laughter**_ **is** _ **a form of music.**_

 _ **Once you meet them, the singing stops unless you purposefully choose to focus it at your soulmate.**_

* * *

This Music In My Head

Kyoya Ootori doesn't care much for music.

That's not to say he didn't enjoy it on occasion, of course. He just didn't have the time to sit down and plug his headphones in for hours on end, and he knew that he'd never be able to focus on his homework if there was noise in his ears. And singing? Yeah, no. He enjoyed music _in moderation_ , mostly because he was too goal-oriented to make time for enjoying it.

His soulmate, however?

The pencil in his hand stilled as a now familiar song began to fill his brain. When he'd first experienced his soulmate's singing two years ago, Kyoya had dropped everything in order to listen and commit the voice to memory. They weren't half bad, but today all he could do was wish that they'd stop for _twenty more minutes he was in the middle of taking a test for goodness sakes!_

This _always_ happened!

His soulmate only seemed to sing at the worst possible moments, driving Kyoya up the wall. They couldn't sing when he wasn't doing anything of importance, like eating breakfast, oh no. Instead he was graced with their music when he was trying to fall asleep, or working on the Host Club's financial statements, or sitting in at a business dinner with his family… which was why he was far more desperate to find his soulmate than his friends might've expected by his personality.

Just... not for the soulmate reason.

He wanted the constant musical harassment to end!

*Time Skip*

"Hey, Kyoya! How do you think you did?"

The ravenet smirked as Tamaki ran to catch up with him, "I believe I performed well. And you?"

"Ha! It was so easy, I probably got everything right! I bet I finally beat you~" The blond laughed and attempted to poke at the other's cheek, only to be swatted away. Of course, Kyoya's smirk died a little when Tamaki continued to laugh. It made him think of how his soulmate had started singing (f/m/g) when he was in the middle of a question. Somewhere in the world, Tamaki's own soulmate was probably sitting on a train or in class listening to the heartfelt laughter and wondering who it belonged to.

Kyoya supposed that perhaps that was a reason his own search for a soulmate was taking so long. Not only did he not sing, but he rarely laughed. Perhaps the first time he'd done so honestly was when he'd met Tamaki for the first time… how had his soulmate reacted?

"Hey…" Tamaki's left hand was suddenly on Kyoya's shoulder, squeezing gently. The blond had an understanding smile on his face, though his eyes were sad, "You'll find her. Did she start singing again?"

"When we were taking the test."

The blond nodded, and they continued walking. Kyoya knew that discussing the soulmate thing was a bit of a touchy subject with his friend. His parents had be forcibly separated, despite the fact they were soulmates, and his mother had grown increasingly sick afterwards. It was the reason Kyoya never asked Tamaki if he wanted to find his soulmate and never let them go, or if would prefer to not met them just in case he was forced to hurt them like how his mother had hurt… But he also was particularly invested in Kyoya's own soulmate. He was the only one Kyoya had revealed the gender too.

A girl with a beautiful voice.

Passing by an open window, Kyoya was about to ask Tamaki if he wanted to start hosting outside again when something stopped him in his tracks.

A voice.

A familiar voice that was also echoing _inside of his head._

Noticing the way his friend was standing shock-still next to the window, Tamaki paused and stared at Kyoya. Then he heard the singing. His purple eyes widened for a split second as he put the pieces together before he began shoving at the ravenet.

"What are you doing?! Go!"

It wasn't the first time Kyoya had followed the blond's instructions, but never had he done so so quickly.

Running down the hallway towards the nearest staircase with the song still in his head, Kyoya's heart pounded in his chest. Was this really happening? He nearly tripping on the last couple steps before racing to the doors. Pushing them open, he headed back towards the side of the building he'd heard her voice.

But right as he was about to round the corner, the song ended.

He stops at the corner of the building, facing the wide open grounds that stretched all the way to the hedge maze. Multiple students were milling around in groups or by themselves. None of them noticed the ravenet standing alone, hardly able to even think straight.

So his soulmate had been at Ouran this whole time? How did he not know who it was, then? And he had just _barely_ missed them!

 _Ding ding!_

Mutely pulling his phone out of his pocket, he read the text.

 **Tamaki:** Did you find her?

Kyoya put the device away, not bothering to break the bad news to his friend just yet. He didn't know exactly how to describe the way he was feeling right then, because he'd never really seen the big deal with meeting his soulmate… not until this moment. It had been more of a constant annoyance, really.

Only now, having been so close...

*\/*

"Don't worry about it, Kyo-chan! Now that you know they're here at school, I bet you'll find them in no time!"

"Yeah."

Kyoya nodded, but didn't speak. He knew his senpai's were just trying to cheer him up after the failed attempt to meet his soulmate yesterday, but he didn't have the heart to tell them that no one could help him with this particular issue. Unfortunate, but true.

He stared towards the school, in the direction he'd heard his soulmate yesterday. They had only sung once today, early in the morning while Kyoya had been getting ready for school. While it normally made him feel awkward to hear such a pretty voice while his mouth was full of toothpaste, hearing his soulmate sing this morning had actually been…enjoyable.

Rolling back his shoulders, Kyoya took a deep breath before turning to face the other two, "Thank you both for attempting to help me, but right now we should be focusing more on our guests. I assure you, I will be emotionally stable for the next three hours even without your kind words."

The two second year students didn't look entirely convinced, but did as they were told.

Letting out another sigh, Kyoya gave the school building one last glance before turning back towards the club. He should probably look for his own guests before they got too impatient. That, and the twins often teased him about having fewer guests than the rest of them, which wasn't really true, but he wasn't in the mood for that today.

Spotting a group of familiar faces, Kyoya took perhaps three steps towards them when the music in his head started again. Just as he did yesterday, Kyoya froze in place. He could hear the singing in the real world as well! It was just on the other side of the hedge surrounding the club! He spun around, ready to chase after her again before the song ended or she moved too far away to hear-

"Kyoya!"

"Where do you think you're going?"

The ravenet almost fell over backwards in his attempt to not knock over the girls in his path. More of his guests, but he couldn't even pretend to care today.

"Excuse me, I have to-"

"But, Kyoya~"

"You _promised_ you'd entertain us today!"

"Yeah!"

As they all began complaining and pushing closer, Kyoya could hear as his soulmate's voice grew quieter and quieter, moving away from the host club's activities. When he could no longer hear her voice, he hung his head and conceded to the girl's request. And if they noticed how upset he was with their interference, none of them said a word about it.

*\/*

The universe _hated_ Kyoya Ootori.

There was no other explanation, really.

For years, Kyoya had been hearing his soulmate's voice in his head. Heard the songs she liked, and wishing for a miracle medicine that would mute the music for at least a few hours to allow for either sleep or focus or the all encompassing feeling of privacy that he lacked. And then, in the space of a week, have him learn that his soulmate is at the same school, but never let them meet. The most common form, of course, was having her sing in areas he either couldn't reach in time or couldn't enter at all.

That last one applied to his exact situation at the moment, awkwardly standing in front of the door of a girl's bathroom. His soulmate's voice is echoing both the other side of the door and in Kyoya's head, softly singing (F/s).

Again, the universe hated Kyoya Ootori.

For a moment, he just stood there, not sure what to do. Having the song enter his brain in two different forms at the same time was an odd feeling, but one he had grown to enjoy and anticipate over the past week. Strange how quickly one's sentiments could change.

Finally, Kyoya decides to do… _something._ Anything, really. He had to somehow prove to the girl inside the bathroom that her soulmate was waiting for her in the hallway. And quickly, too, before a teacher or someone of equal consequence came around the corner and started berating him for staring at a girl's bathroom door like a pervert.

But there was only one thing that could prove that he was her soulmate.

Swallowing his pride and really hoping that there was no one in a nearby hallway, Kyoya cleared his throat and began to quietly sing along with the girl. As this was his first time singing ever, his voice couldn't match the pitch as well, but at least he knew the words. His soulmate sang this particular song so often Kyoya knew all the lyrics by heart at this point.

Which was probably a good thing, because as his voice grew louder, the one inside the restroom faltered, replaced by a gasp.

Kyoya sang louder, internally wincing as his low voice attempted to hit the higher notes, but didn't stop.

From inside the bathroom came the sound of a sink turning on and off again in about fifteen seconds before a pair of shoes slapped against the tile floors and the door was flung open from the inside.

(E/c) eyes widened and a mouth dropped open to form a perfect 'o' shape as Kyoya stopped singing. He smiled at his soulmate, who's face was now lightly dusted pink.

"You sing that song quite often, don't you?"

* * *

 **Bleh… I wrote this out really quickly and I'm sure it shows. But at least it's written! And it's kinda cute. I wasn't sure when I started writing if I'd be able to write this following the prompt, so I didn't. I just hope you still enjoy my interpretation!**

 **If you liked, please favorite, follow, and leave a review! I'm still taking requests!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	19. Beauty and the Beast

**So, this is another 'first-meet' kind of one-shot, but it's also kinda a tease because it doesn't really have a story, and I'm sorry for that. The reason I wrote one of** _ **these**_ **one shots is because I'm obsessed with the new Beauty and the Beast movie, but I'm saving the actual full-length fic for one of my other stories.**

 **Also, I'm _sorry_ for being so late with my updates! I'm still catching up from Exam week...**

 **Thank you to Mikihiko Tada, drkm2000, AusllyBeliever, queenglitch, Miss Belle Sutcliff, and Kpop Trash for your reviews! I hope you all enjoy this chapter as well!**

 **Disclaimer: I... do I even need this anymore?**

* * *

 **(F/n) = First name**

 **(L/n) = Last name**

 **(h/c) = Hair color**

* * *

 _Certain as the sun..._

 **)|(**

Kyoya Ootori.

Third son, heir to the Ootori Group, top student in his class, and the Vice President of the Ouran Highschool Host Club.

And if there was one thing the host club was known for, it was for it's collection of all of Ouran Academy's beautiful heartthrobs.

Kyoya was no exception.

The teenager had many attractive qualities, all of which were adored by one female or another. Some of his admirers claimed their attraction to the Ootori was because of his clear, grey eyes that reflected his surroundings to place little flecks of green or blue within them. Others, his perchance to toy with his glasses, the smooth metal curves only accenting his otherwise sharp features. And still others claimed that it wasn't his physical attributes that intrigued them, though they certainly helped, but instead said that it was Kyoya's mysterious attitude that called them closer.

But whoever you'd ask, it was undoubtedly clear that Kyoya Ootori was a real beauty.

On the outside.

Kyoya knew he was physically attractive, and he used it to his advantage whenever he could. He knew that if people knew his real thoughts, the girls who claimed to adore him would run for the hills.

Not because he is cruel... only cold-hearted.

Kyoya had been raised to value people… but as assets, not as friends. Any person shaped by such a childhood is not so easily reformed, even when surrounded by others who wish to help. The ravenet went through his life wondering if one day he would finally decide which part of him he'd finally follow. If he would choose the life Tamaki Suoh was laying out for him, one that promised emotions and adventures and hard questions that don't always have a right answer. Or if he would go back to how his father had raised him, in a life that would be guarded, and yet safe.

And most days he did not know which one he wanted, because there was still a personal rule of his. One he'd come up with on his own, and still believed in.

Do not fall in love.

Love is weakness. Love is an opening to something that should always be protected. Love is illogical. Love is stupidity. Love is pain. He'd observed how hurt Tamaki was when he was separated from his mother, whom he loved dearly, which only continued to reinforce his reasoning.

Oh, he cared for certain people, sure. His fellow club members for example. Or his sister. But _love?_

Never.

Because deep down, his real reason was because that above all... love is accepting someone as everything they were. And that was something that Kyoya knew he would never earn or keep.

Because despite all of his beauty... how could anyone learn to love a loveless beast?

 **)|(**

 _Rising in the east..._

 **)|(**

(F/n) (L/n).

Ouran Academy's newest student.

She was the lucky recipient of the school's most recent scholarship, allowing the remarkably intelligent girl to continue her studies in a school that kept up with her pace. She loved it there.

The bullies she could do with less of, however.

It was no secret to the population of Ouran Academy that (F/n) wasn't from an upper class family. There weren't millions of yen to her last name, nor did she live in a mansion with servants and limousines. And thusly, she was referred to as a 'commoner'. Avoided through the halls of Ouran like the plague, she pretending to not be bothered the one time she went to the refractory and no one sat within ten feet of her. She stared straight ahead as she walked to class, ignoring the whispers as best as she could.

" _I heard commoners live in dirty, tiny hovels._ "

" _Ugh… they're like beasts!_ "

She knew there was another scholarship student somewhere, but she never met them personally. Because Haruhi was handsome, and therefore the female population adored him and placed him on a pedestal. He was popular. And the girls did their best to keep the two scholarship students as far away from each other as possible.

It was a decent blow to (F/n)'s confidence the first time she had realized this, but she quickly brushed aside what other people thought of her and continued to be a phenomenal student. She was here to learn, not preen.

However, what she didn't know, was that her banishment from popularity at Ouran Academy was not because she looked bad. But because she was beautiful. No matter how she came to school, whether with makeup or none, curled or straight hair, sleepy or alert, the male population of Ouran Academy would stop and stare as she moved down the hallways.

(F/n) wasn't pushing away the girls with disgust, but with jealousy.

Whenever a girl suggested that perhaps (F/n) wasn't a terrible person, they were immediately shut down. Therefore, no one was brave enough to get to know her. They assumed. And what they assumed was that she was a terrible person who was snobbish and uptight and cared only for her looks.

Even though the exact opposite was true.

(F/n) offered small smiles when the librarians assisted her with getting a book. She always had an extra pencil to offer if a fellow student was without one, and even though she knew others would never accept it, she would sneakily kick one over to their chair or place one at their seat when they were at lunch. (F/n) was lonely, but she was still kind.

Her fellow students might only see a little 'beastly' commoner, but if they would only look past their jealousy, they'd finally find the real beauty in their midst.

 **)|(**

 _Tale as old as time..._

 **)|(**

(F/n) sighed as she quickly rifled through her school bag, trying to look inside of it while also keeping an eye on the crowd surrounding her. She was trying to locate her cell phone, which she had to drop into her bag at the beginning of every school day, considering her uniform didn't come with pockets.

 _Seriously, one day I'm just going to show up in the male uniform. Why should they get the luxury of pockets and I not? Or maybe I could just look up tutorials on how to sew pockets into dresses. Is that against the rules?_

Sighing, she stopped at the corner of the hallway and pressed her bag against the wall, holding it up with her hip and keeping the flap open with her right hand so her left could dig around to the bottom.

 _Pen… pencil… another pencil… book…_ "AHA- _oof_!"

Just as her fingers had closed around the rectangular device and her left arm pulled back to take it out of the bag, another body had rounded the corner and walked straight into her. (F/n) was the one who fell, bag slamming to the floor just beside her, a few pencils jumping out on impact.

" _...Ow._ "

"Oh my, I'm terribly sorry about that."

The (h/c) groaned softly as she pushed herself onto her elbows, phone still in hand, thankfully, "It's okay… _ow…_ " She looked up just as the boy who'd run into her offered a hand.

"Doesn't sound like it's okay. Are you hurt?"

For a brief moment, (F/n) just stared at the other. He looked… somewhat familiar. Black hair, glasses, sharp face… hadn't some girls been gushing about him earlier this week in class? Yes… he was one of the school's major heartthrobs. _Oh_ , what was his name?

Realizing he was still offering a hand up, (F/n) quickly let go of her school bag and grabbed ahold of him, restating once again that she was fine. The black haired boy pulled her to her feet and offered a small smile, "Even so, I must apologize again for walking into you. What were you doing against the wall, may I ask?"

"Uh… just… looking for my phone. I have to leave it in my bag…" (F/n) trailed off and looked at her feet, where her school bag was still resting. Before she could bend down and pick it up, the boy did it for her.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. It's the least I can do, really." Another small smile as he handed the bag over, before pressing his hand to the middle of his chest and bowing slightly, "Kyoya Ootori."

The (h/c) couldn't stop the small giggle as she bowed as well, "(F/n) (L/n)." _Well, at least I know his name now._

When they both straightened up, (F/n) noticed how Kyoya's grey eyes had sharpened a bit, " _(L/n)_... you are the new scholarship student?"

"That I am."

"Interesting..." Kyoya's mouth curled a little more, now a smirk rather than a smile, "Well, I must be on my way." He went to continue walking down the hall when he paused, glancing at (F/n) out of the corner of his eye, "It was… a pleasure to meet you, Miss (L/n)."

"You as well, Mister Ootori."

The boy made a small humming noise, then reached into his pants pocket. He pulled out a small business card and handed it to her, "My friend who I operate a club with has instructed me to pass these out. I wasn't going to… but if you are interested, you can come to club hours. I'd much like to speak with you again in the future."

"Oh…" (F/n) slowly took the card, "Thank you."

Kyoya's smirk slipped back down into a smile before he walked away, school bag hanging at his side. (F/n) watched him go, her head tilted a bit to the right, not quite sure what had just happened. Realizing she was still holding the card, she looked down at it.

It was white with red roses decorating the bottom left and upper right hand corners. There were only two lines of words, in fancy script, that read, ' _Ouran Highschool Host Club_ ' with ' _Music Room 3_ ' underneath it. The name of the club tickled (F/n)'s memory yet again. She was sure she had heard of it before… It intrigued her.

Flipping the card over, she blinked when she realized that there were words on the back as well.

 _Be our guest..._

 **)|(**

 _Song as old as rhyme…_

* * *

 **AND YOU ALL KNOW HOW IT ENDS!**

 **If you liked, please favorite, follow, and leave a review! And requests are always welcomed!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	20. The 10 ways of Flirting

**Twentieth chapter! Whoop whoop! Here's a long one for all of you who've stuck around this long and still enjoy my writing!** **Shout out to AusllyBeliever, queenglitch, and ktmyldy28! Thank you for your reviews on my last chapter!**

 **Alright, I've attempted to write this out at least a million times, but it always ended up either wrecked beyond repair or accidentally erased/lost. So, this story is technically four years in the making, like some of my older stories. It's also loosely based off of an OTP drawing prompt I saw on DeviantArt once upon a time. I hope you enjoy my take on it.**

 **Disclaimer: Well, unless you wish to sell your soul to me, I can't say I own any characters in this chapter.**

* * *

 **(F/n) = First name**

 **(L/n) = Last name**

 **(N/n) = Nickname**

 **(N) = Nationality (American, Canadian, Spaniard, Swede, etc.)**

 **(h/c) = Hair color (ravenette, blonde, brunette, red head, etc.)**

 **(e/c) = Eye color**

 **(r/c) = Rose color (that you use at the Host Club)**

 **(H/m/t) = Horror movie title (...preferably one that you won't watch because you're afraid)**

 **(f/m) = Favorite movie**

 **Reader, in this one you work as the Host Club's personal artist. You get a percentage of the profit your works make from the club's online auctions.**

* * *

The Ten Ways of Flirting

1: Holding Hands

There aren't many things that can pull Kyoya Ootori's attention away from calculating the Host Club's finances. Between keeping up with the daily shenanigans of his friends, school, and his own 'job' as a host, the times he can actually sit down and organize everything are few and far between. At best he can keep the numbers and papers arranged in such a way that he can still "find" whatever he's looking for, but any outside eye wouldn't be able to make heads or tails of the chaos he hides in the black journal.

As it is, since the day he'd first taken on the job as the Host Club's "accountant", Kyoya had learned that in order to not gain grey hair prematurely from stress, he should take at least one day every week or two to just sit down and rearrange the calculations until they were neat and tidy. It gave life in the Host Club a sense of order, as loosely as he dared to use the term. And over the past year or so, the ravenet had gotten pretty good at blocking out background noise while he worked, save for the sound of something breaking or-

"Kyo-kun!"

Blinking his tired eyes, Kyoya's head perked up just as (F/n) (L/n) abandoned the double doors of Music Room 3 and ran over to him. Immediately he smiled, straightening his back despite the sound of it's crinkling protests. And how could he not? (F/n) had a smile that could brighten a room.

"(N/n)-chan? What is it?" At the use of her nickname, the (N) beamed. Kyoya didn't use it as often as the others, but clearly, she enjoyed it when he did.

The (h/c) grabbed hold of the boy's hands and hauled him to his feet, "C'mon, Kyo! You have to see it! It's finally done!" (F/n) then proceeded to pull Kyoya out of the room, her right hand still holding his left and his black journal left behind without a second glance. (Later on when he returned, Kyoya would be beyond grateful that none of the others had stumbled upon the abandoned journal, but until then, he was content following along behind the excited girl.)

The two quickly made their way through the building and out into the sunlight, Ouran Academy's esteemed gardens stretching out before them. And yet all Kyoya could see was the way (F/n)'s hair glowed in the natural light, practically sparkling as the girl continued to run across the grass with him in tow.

Sometimes, Kyoya wished he didn't have to hide the crush he had on the (N). It was hard to keep at bay most days, struck down by his general knowledge that it was likely nothing pleasant would come of it. He was a host. An Ootori. And a renowned cold-hearted Shadow King. What chance did he have of his feelings being reciprocated by this embodiment of light?

But it didn't matter. For now, Kyoya was content enough being her closest friend.

The two finally came to a stop inside of the cherry tree grove that was smack dab in the middle of the gardens. The pink petals were in mid-bloom, perfect for the club's outdoor activities later on that day, but it was the art currently hung around the edge of the clearing that nearly took Kyoya's breath away. (F/n) grinned in pride and released the boy's hand, gesturing broadly towards the line of portraits, fingers and arms spread wide.

"Ta-da!"

The ravenet stared in awe, his mouth falling open slightly.

Nine canvases were hanging from thin metal wires that had been wrapped temporarily around the cherry tree branches, three each for the left, right, and back edge of the clearing. There were eight hanging portrait style, each displaying a specific host, and one landscape style in the exact middle that depicted a group shot. From left to right the portraits went Hikaru, Kaoru, Haruhi, Tamaki, Kyoya, (F/n), Honey, and Mori. Between Tamaki and Kyoya was the group shot, all eight of them gathered on and around one of their couches.

The paintings were so realistic and colorful, for a moment Kyoya considered the possibility that (F/n) had cheated and just blown up a couple photographs to hang up. But no. Her paintbrushes were still littering one of the tables and her signature was clear in the bottom left hand corners. Authentic.

Without a word, Kyoya walked up to his portrait. His likeness stared down at him, usual smirk in place with his black hair perfectly combed and a purple rose held delicately against his left cheek. His background was purple too, mixed with a hint of black to replicate his "demon-lord" aura (as the twins had so helpfully dubbed it). He was surprised that (F/n) had opted to add that into the painting... but then again… it didn't look as frightening as it should've. It looked more…

"I was aiming for a bad-boy type of appearance. Kind of aloof, a little bit of tough love, but with a cold kind of interest. You like?"

"Yes. It's amazing-" Kyoya turned towards the girl, ready to continue with his praise, but found his breath stolen once again.

(F/n) was cleaning up her art supplies as she waited for Kyoya to finish admiring the paintings, but from the angle they were standing at he could also see (F/n)'s own portrait. Again, the likeness was uncanny. In the portrait with the (r/c) background, (F/n) smiled kindly down at her creator, (h/c) hair glimmering with painted light and her white dress showing off the light (r/c) glitter that floated around the painting. And the finishing touch, a (r/c) rose, (F/n)'s official host club color, was tucked behind her ear.

The (F/n) in the real world had on her typical school dress, the pale yellow washing out her skin color like she complained about often. The wind had picked up and was in the process of tangling her hair in the impossible way the wind tends to do. Now that their hands were no longer clasped together, Kyoya could see the different colors of paint that was splattered all over her hands and even a little up her forearms.

If she were to look in a mirror right now, she'd probably frown and hurry to her apartment to change and clean up, frantically running her hands through her hair in an attempt to calm it.

But Kyoya thought she looked amazing.

Only, he couldn't say that out loud.

"It's breathtaking. The guests will love it, I'm sure." (F/n)'s grin spread wider and she quickly hurried over to hug Kyoya's arm. The boy rolled his eyes, but was pleased by the affection he received regardless.

As she thanked him for his compliments, Kyoya looked between their two portraits. She had captured their personalities so well, and it just made it that much clearer exactly how different the two were.

They were polar opposites. Oil and water. And yet they got along so well. Maybe because with Tamaki and Haruhi getting together, the two both needed someone else to spend their free time with. Maybe because Kyoya wanted another person to understand him as well as she did. Or maybe because (F/n) needed someone to keep her feet on the ground while she was so far from home.

Whatever it was, it should not have worked. They shouldn't be friends. Not this close, anyways, considering who Kyoya was and how short of a time they'd known each other.

But Kyoya had to admit… he couldn't think of any other girl he would've rather fallen in love with.

* * *

2: Grabbing the Arm

"Mo-vie Night! Mo-vie Night! Mo-vie Night!"

Hikaru and Kaoru chanted their new mantra in unison as they powered up (F/n)'s Blu-Ray player, hiding their movie of choice from the rest of the club as they worked. Kyoya glanced around the room to ensure everyone was accounted for and comfortable, a mother-like trait he would never tell another living soul he had.

Mori-senpai was sitting on the recliner with Honey-senpai in his lap. The twins had a pillow and blanket nest on the floor awaiting them. Tamaki was sitting on the floor with his back leaning against the couch between Haruhi and (F/n)'s legs. And Kyoya was sitting on the far right of the couch beside (F/n).

 _Perfect._

"So, what are we watching this weekend?" (F/n) inquired, leaning forward in anticipation. It was an unspoken truth that she loved their movie nights. As most of the host club had never watched much television, she got to introduce them to all the classic movie series for the first time. More often than not, she just wanted their faces more than the screen itself, especially when they went through the Star Wars series...

But that didn't really matter, because the others loved it too. Kyoya couldn't speak for the rest of them, but he was particularly touched by the fact that the club had grown quite close since they starting this trend. Almost like a family, Tamaki would probably insist. Plus, on the side, Kyoya was secretly sticking it to his father. Mr. Ootori had all but banned any movies depicting fantasy and impossible scenarios from the Ootori household years ago when Kyoya's sister Fuyumi had tried to watch Disney movies in her room.

Three guesses as to who selected 'Lord of the Rings' as their movie choice last month.

"Drum roll, _please!_ "

As if on cue, Tamaki, (F/n), and Honey did their best to recreate a drum roll, Haruhi scoffing before joining in. Kyoya smirked at the silliness, but couldn't help himself from leaning in regardless, just as excited as the others. The twins hadn't given any hints as to their movie choice at all, and the anticipation was killing them. They had only mentioned it was something entirely new for them all.

"Tonight… as darkness preys upon the outside world…"

"...we must be strong and brave… for tonight… we witness…"

Hikaru suddenly thrust the movie case out in front of him while Kaoru gestured to the main title screen as it began playing eerie music, "(H/m/t)!"

Tamaki squeaked from his place on the floor, but when Kyoya turned to see if his friend would even last the twin's pre-movie taunting, it was someone else who captured his attention. (F/n) had pressed herself as far back into the couch cushions as physics would allow her, body stiff as she alternated between looking at the television and anywhere but.

Kyoya carefully shook her knee, drawing her eyes to him, " _(N/n)-chan? What's wrong?_ "

" _I… I don't think I'm gonna like this movie._ "

" _You're afraid?_ "

"I'm not-" she went to turn her head away, but she spotted the title screen and quickly returned to facing Kyoya, " _Um… maybe a little._ "

"I think it's dark enough to start. Hikaru, would you do the honors?"

"Wait. Wait! (F/n) doesn't want to watch."

The twins looked over in confusion, but their disappointment quickly morphed into concern when they noticed how pale their newest friend was. Hikaru instantly pulled away from the play button.

"Hey, (F/n)-senpai?"

"We don't have to-"

"I'm okay… I'm okay. I-I can just close my eyes during the frightening parts, right? And isn't the whole point of this movie to scare people?" Kyoya would've protested if she didn't lightly elbow him, "I can even leave the room if it gets to be too much. Just press play, I'll be fine."

While it was clear that (F/n) was definitely _not_ fine, Hikaru followed her request and pressed the play button anyways, the eerie music giving way to sudden blackness. The twins hurried into their pillow nest and covered themselves with the comforter they'd somehow nicked from (F/n)'s bed. For a few minutes everything went by smoothly. The introduction wasn't all that scary... but, like most horror movies, it didn't stay that way for much longer. Soon enough the 'horror' part of their horror movie made itself evident, and even Kyoya himself had to look away. It didn't seem to matter that the scene made no sense. It was just… _creepy._

Gazing around at the rest of his friends so he didn't have to turn back towards the screen, he noticed how most of his friends were gripped with terror. Even Mori's stoic face had failed him. But what concerned Kyoya the most was the way (F/n) was shaking like a leaf, her face buried into the fabric of her sweatpants, not even watching.

Casting another glance at the screen, which had moved back into a slightly more relaxed atmosphere for the time being, Kyoya slowly leaned over and poked (F/n)'s shoulder. Her (e/c) eyes peeked out at him from the side, her shivering subsiding just a bit.

" _You can hold onto me if it makes you feel better. I'm not going anywhere._ "

Either the lights from the television were playing tricks on him, or Kyoya saw a blush spread across the girl's cheeks. Probably from the embarrassment of being so afraid of a silly movie. But eventually she nodded and peeked up at the screen over her knees.

...Bad timing.

With a quiet, high pitched yelp, the (h/c) latched herself onto Kyoya's left arm, burying her face into his shoulder as blood was splattered on screen. The ravenet grimaced at the gore, turning away once again to gently squeeze one of the hands (F/n) was using to hold onto him. He glanced around, suddenly nervous that the others were going to see them, but quickly realized that they were all either engrossed in the movie or hiding their own faces.

(F/n) squeezed his arm a little tighter as a woman screamed. Kyoya frowned, wondering if it was too late to ask that they change to another film. Perhaps (f/m) to ensure that (F/n) didn't fall prey to nightmares later?

But then again… he would be lying if he said that he wasn't enjoy the way (F/n) was holding onto him…

* * *

3: Entwined Fingers

Kyoya didn't realize exactly how long this movie was going to be.

He hadn't thought to ask the twins ahead of time and it felt like they'd been watching for hours. It was pitch black outside, but it had been that way since they'd started the movie. Reaching down to his pocket, he patted around and almost had a heart attack then and there when he realized his phone wasn't where it should be… but then he remembered it was plugged into (F/n)'s charger in her bedroom.

The deaths on screen were occurring more often now, and some of them were pretty gruesome. Honey was fast asleep on his cousin's lap and Tamaki, for fear of being unprotected from his own overactive imagination, was now snuggled into the twin's blanket fort as the three coward together in fear.

Kyoya glanced down at the girl by his side, (F/n) now tucked into his chest with his arm slung over her back. It was like he had become her personal teddy bear, and he honestly didn't mind one bit.

Less than twenty minutes later and the movie ends. Everyone still awake lets out a sigh of relief and Kyoya was quick to turn on the lamp at his right. As soon as the room was filled with the yellow light, (F/n) pulled away and stood, much to Kyoya's disappointment.

But she surprised him. Instead of grabbing the little calendar she had set up next to the television to announce who was bringing the movie next week, she ejected the movie from the BluRay and grabbed (f/m) from the shelf of her own personal discs. No one spoke as a familiar title screen appeared on the television, but Kyoya had a feeling he wasn't the only one that was pleased. On the left side of the room, Mori nudged his cousin until he unhappily woke up, scowling at the ravenet until he was pointed towards the screen. Honey's expression immediately brightened as he settled back down to watch.

Kyoya smiled at (F/n) as she joined him back on the couch, but it was quickly replaced by total shock when she immediately went back to cuddling up against his side, her left hand coming up rest on his shoulder.

" _No more horror movies._ " He didn't argue, instead reaching over to gently take her hand. She blushed, but didn't comment on it. Their fingers tangled themselves together as he pulled her closer.

" _Agreed._ "

The (h/c) smiled up at the boy before returning her attention to the movie.

Neither of them noticed how two redheads were staring at them in disbelief...

* * *

4: Hugging

"You… want me to do _what?_ "

"You heard us," the twins purred in unison, grinning despite the unimpressed look (F/n) was giving them.

"Why?"

"Because we want to see his reaction!"

"And we have a bet going on whether you'll actually do it or not."

The (h/c) raised an eyebrow before turning back to the notebook in her lap, "Well, that's fine and dandy and all, but I'm a little busy right now. Maybe later. I have a lot of homework to finish by tomorrow so-"

"Hey, Kaoru? Do you know what I'm thinking?"

"What, Hikaru?"

"I think (F/n)-senpai is _scared…_ "

At the interruption, the (N) sighed and let her head fall back against the couch, "I'm not scared. I've done it before."

The twins smirked, as if they didn't believe her. Their expressions were starting to tick (F/n) off. Probably more so than they usually would have, but she was a little stressed out at the moment. Were they really pretending like they hadn't seen her hug Kyoya hundreds of times before? Did they _not_ see the piles of textbooks and notes around her? Couldn't they find _anything_ else to do than waste her time?

Officially annoyed beyond belief, the girl all but swatted her notebook off her lap and stalked across the room, abandoning her monstrous pile of homework. Behind her, the twins scurried behind a pillar to watch. She came to a stop in front of her glasses-wearing classmate, who was also buried to his eyes in textbooks, though arguably looked less stressed out than her.

Upon noticing her presence, Kyoya glanced up, "(F/n)? Is something wrong?"

"Define 'wrong'. Just… can you do me a favor and stand up?"

"...why?"

"It'll only take a moment, I promise. But trust me when I say I can't do any more homework until you get up."

The ravenet raised an eyebrow before carefully setting his things aside and standing up from the couch. Despite the circumstances, (F/n) couldn't not smile at least a little bit. Even though she hadn't told him _why_ he should stand up for her, Kyoya had done so without needing much prompting. While he had stated on multiple occasions that he trusted her judgement, it was still nice to have a physical reminder that if she ever needed something, Kyoya would be willing to assist. It was sweet.

Kyoya made his way around the coffee table between them until he was standing directly in front of (F/n), "Now, what do you require of- _oof!_ "

His question was abruptly cut off by a particularly strong hug around his torso, (F/n)'s face nuzzling against his chest, a genuine smile finally back on her face. Eh, who cared if she was doing this because of pressure from the twins? She liked giving Kyoya hugs regardless of the situation. After a brief moment of remaining still, probably due to shock, Kyoya returned the hug. (F/n) hummed and rolled up to her toes in an effort to close some of the distance between their heights, her hands coming up to his shoulders.

Ducking his head, Kyoya's voice hummed into her ear, " _What's the occasion? Not that I'm complaining, of course, but this seems rather sudden._ "

" _The twins,_ " she sighed, resting her forehead into the crook of his neck, " _They wouldn't leave me alone unless I hugged you, and I need to do my homework._ "

" _So it wasn't just that you really wanted to hug me?_ "

That got a small laugh from the girl, " _Well, I wanted to do it anyways, but if the twins hadn't been super annoying I probably would've waited until I was done before ambushing you._ "

Kyoya chuckled and pulled away, "Then you should go back and tell them to leave you alone lest I get involved." His smirk vanished as he glanced over to where the twins had just disappeared behind the pillar, "What do you think prompted their request? It isn't as though you hugging anyone, least of all me, is an uncommon occurrence."

"Who knows," (F/n) shrugged, "but I need to get some more homework done, and I should probably leave you alone to do the same, so..." She walked away with a little wave, her limbs still buzzing lightly from the hug. _Maybe the twins are onto something. I always feel more refreshed after a quick hug break with Kyoya..._ Not spotting either of the twins, (F/n) frowned slightly. _Or maybe they just wanted to distract us so they could get away with something. Welp, I guess we'll find out what it was sooner or later._

As the (h/c) sat back down on her couch to continue with her massive amounts of homework, Hikaru and Kaoru were frantically comparing photos from their phones, zooming in every once in awhile and hissing quiet words to each other. Occasionally they would scroll further back into their albums and repeat the process with older pictures, all of them focusing on a specific boy and girl.

As the evidence slowly started to pile up before their eyes, the redheads smiles grew.

Tamaki was going to flip out.

* * *

5: Embracing

"Finally…"

Shifting her bag further up her shoulder, (F/n) let out a sigh of relief before picking up the pace. Her walk became a light jog as she grew closer to the Haninozuka mansion, wanting to get inside and relax with her friends as soon as possible. She would've gotten there earlier, but she'd promised to send a video message to her family back home and, well, those took some time to make properly.

There were multiple pairs of shoes already waiting outside the front door, most of which she recognized on sight. She was the last one to arrive.

Smiling, the (h/c) reached out and knocked on the door, simultaneously slipping her own shoes off. While she waited for the door to open, she quickly pulled out a small little present. It was a custom she was still attempting to get used to, but she liked giving gifts to her friends regardless, so it wasn't exactly a hassle.

The door opened and she smiled at the person standing on the other side of it, "Hey, Kyo- _oof!_ "

(F/n) blinked in surprise as she became the victim of a… surprise attack hug. From _Kyoya_ , of all people. Sure, he didn't mind physical contact from her every so often, but he rarely instigated it. Where did this come from? For a moment, neither of them spoke. (F/n) was too in shock and, as a side note, grateful that she had moved her gift out of the way before it could be squished between them.

Kyoya took a deep breath, then relaxed his tight hold on the girl, "You have no idea of the horror I've experienced tonight."

At that, (F/n) could help but laugh. She carefully embraced the boy back, "Awww… did you have a rough night, Kyo?" The ravenet scoffed.

" _You have no idea._ "

Unbeknownst to (F/n), back in the Haninozuka's sitting room the rest of the hosts were frantically running around trying to clear away the pamphlets and note cards. To say the least, the 'Kyoya, you have a crush on (F/n)' presentation hadn't exactly gone to plan. Kyoya had remained expressionless throughout the whole interrogation, not answering nor denying the accusations from either Tamaki or any of the others involved. In fact, he didn't react at all until (F/n) had knocked on the front door.

After a quick threat to murder them all if everything wasn't cleared away by the time he returned with the girl, he ran out of the room to apparently stall (F/n). Not wishing to test his willingness to follow through with the threat, the Host Club immediately began shoving the papers back into the twin's bags as quickly as humanly possible. And in order to give them as much time as possible, Kyoya had decided the best course of action would be to physically hold (F/n) still for as long as he could without arousing suspicion from the girl in question.

Of course, he was also holding her because he'd missed her, plain and simple.

Not that the others need to know that.

* * *

6: Holding from Behind

Kyoya slowly walked around the music room, his black journal in hand as he reorganized some of the calculations. While he usually preferred to sit while he worked on the club's financials, some days his legs simply needed a stretch. Pausing in front of a window to double check the remaining tea leaf inventory, Kyoya was surprised to feel a pair of arms suddenly winding around his waist.

"Whatcha workin' on, Kyo?"

The boy relaxed at the familiar voice, trailing an edge of his eraser down his most recent calculation to double check his math, "Just ensuring we're on budget. Tamaki has mentioned wanting to purchase another cosplay for next week, and I'd hate to not know ahead of time whether I should lead him off or not."

(F/n) let out a short laugh, subconsciously squeezing him a little tighter, " _Shadow King…_ "

He smirked at her over his shoulder, "Is there something you require of me or are you holding me hostage out of boredom?"

"Mmm… it was kinda the second one, but now that I've got you," she shifted so her chin could hook over his shoulder, (e/c) eyes scanning the pages within his journal, "How much do I still owe you for those broken cups?"

"You truly don't owe us. You weren't the ones who broke them."

"I was carrying the tray and they broke. Besides, it's just a couple drawings I don't make a small profit on. What's the remaining damage?"

He flipped two pages before running his finger along a small subtraction list before stopping at the bottom, "5,120 yen. You'll probably pay it off in the next two weeks."

"See? Nothing to worry about."

"Right…" Kyoya twirled his pencil between his fingers, a little unsure how to breach the idea that had suddenly sprung up in his head, "Although… I'd be willing to erase the debt _now_ for a price."

(F/n) scoffed and squeezed tighter, this time on purpose, "Oh really? And what would you like, Kyo? My non-existent standing in the business world? The deed to my apartment? Perhaps a kiss?"

Kyoya nearly choked, "That last one may work."

For a second, (F/n) just stared at her friend in shock, her cheeks darkening to a nice red color at record speeds. But then the moment passed and she smirked. Releasing the boy, she slipped around him until they were face to face.

"Okay, then. If you're sure, close your eyes."

Kyoya shut his eyelids without a second thought, hardly able to believe that it had worked. It _worked?_ All those months and _this_ was what worked? It was almost too ridiculous to fathom. Still, none of that stopped him from leaning forward slightly, a small smile trying to fight its way onto his face. He could already imagine those soft lips pressed against his, finally-

Something hard and oddly-shaped poked at his lips instead and Kyoya's eyes flew open. (F/n) was wearing an amused expression, her right pointer finger pressing a chocolate Hershey's Kiss to his lips.

"Nice try, Kyo-kun. But I don't sell my kisses. They're earned."

Frowning, Kyoya grudgingly lets the stupid chocolate into his mouth and chews it up with a vengeance. He dislikes sweets on a good day, and the one he's currently eating might possibly be the worst one he's ever had in his life… but he eats it anyways. He couldn't spit it out into the trash can. Not in front of (F/n).

He turns back to his journal, more than a little put out. Did he really think it was going to be that simple? And besides, (F/n) was right… he wanted to _earn_ a kiss from her. Not bribe her into it. What was he thinking?

As Kyoya slowly suffered through his internal monologue, he missed the soft expression that passed over (F/n)'s face. And the pink blush that followed soon after. She nibbled at her bottom lip as she watched the boy work for another few seconds, clearly lost in his own thoughts. After a brief moment of hesitation, she surged forward and pressed a hasty kiss to Kyoya's cheek before hurrying out the doors in search of Haruhi. Her neighbor wasn't going to _believe_ what had just happened.

Back in Music Room #3, Kyoya was frozen in place. His usually fast paced brain was struggling to try to make sense of the past twenty seconds. He lifted his left hand to caress the spot (F/n) had kissed. His cheek was still tingling.

Kyoya jerkily scribbles out the 5,120 yen debt before snapping the journal shut.

* * *

7: Lifting Up (Princess Style)

"(F/n)-senpai? Are you awake?"

"Are you _dead?_ "

" _Mmmm…_ " the (h/c) swatted at the hands poking her cheek, " _Go 'way..._ "

"Well, she's not dead," the twins decided.

Haruhi paused in the middle of packing up her school bag, frowning at her redheaded classmates, "Leave her alone, you guys! She was up until 4 a.m. this morning finishing that dumb painting Kyoya just put on the auction site. She needs her sleep."

Across the room, Kyoya stopped packing his own things as well. 4 a.m.? No wonder she had looked exhausted all day. A hot flash of guilt exploded around his stomach region, even though it wasn't entirely deserved. He never gave (F/n) a time limit for completing her works, simply asking her to take her time so the final result would be to her standards. But at the same time, he still felt a little responsible for her losing sleep in order to finish them. She worked herself too hard… perhaps he should reaffirm with her that her health was more important than any painting.

Back by the sleepy girl, the twins were still poking her, "(F/n)-senpai, everyone's leaving."

"It's time to go home. Haruhi's about to leave."

The (h/c) made another soft noise when Haruhi cleared her throat, "Actually, I need to go shopping really quickly before I go home. I'm not taking the same train as (F/n)-senpai."

"What?" Tamaki jumped to his feet, "We can't let (F/n) take the train by herself in this state! She'll be defenseless against the perverts who take the train at night!"

"It's only 6:30…"

"Don't worry, Boss."

"Yeah, we can take her h-"

Before Kaoru could complete the offer, Kyoya was out of his seat and throwing (F/n)'s bag strap over his shoulder to rest alongside his own bag, "There will be no need, you two. My limo has already arrived. I'll take her home."

He gently shook the (h/c)'s shoulder, but when all she did was hum and huddle further into the couch cushions, Kyoya knew he wouldn't have the heart to wake her up fully. So, he merely scooped her up into his arms and carried her out of the music room…

...purposefully ignoring his friend's snickers as the door shut behind him.

* * *

8: Carrying On Back

" _Mmmm… Kyoya?_ " The ravenet nearly stumbled, pausing to look down at the girl shifting in his arms. Her native accent was bleeding powerfully through her tired voice as she stretched.

Slowly easing (F/n) to her feet, less he drop her, Kyoya held her arms to keep her balanced, "I thought you were asleep."

"I… I was tryin' ta… where are we?"

"Still at Ouran. I was going to take you home since my limousine is waiting out front and Haruhi wasn't riding the train with you."

(F/n) yawned once more and looped her arms around his neck, nuzzling his shoulder, "M'kay." Kyoya smirked and lifted her back into his arms, but she immediately began to squirm. She peeked at him through squinted eyelids, "Kyoyaaa… put me down… 'M not light, ya know."

"It's fine, (F/n)." Truthfully, Kyoya's arms _were_ growing a little tired, simply because he wasn't used to carrying around something the size of a human being for long periods of time, but he didn't feel like it was necessary to share that at this moment. "Besides, it's you I'm more concerned about. If I let you walk around in this state you might pass out from sheer exhaustion. I'd also rather not spend the next twenty minutes trying to keep you from falling down the stairs."

"You're o… o… over 'xaggeratin."

"Somehow I doubt that."

She groaned, "Gimme a piggyback ride, then."

"A what?"

"Carry me on your back. It'll be comfier and put less strain on your arms."

For a moment, Kyoya pondered the pros and cons of switching positions before nodding and setting the tired girl back on her feet. They were already standing by the staircase, so he took one step down and grabbed the railing with his left hand. The sleep deprived (h/c) clambered onto his back, her warm breath now fanning across his neck and her arms wrapped over his shoulders. _Well, she wasn't wrong_ , he had to admit as he carefully readjusted her further up, _this position is far more comfortable and easier on my arms._

Kyoya carefully made his way down the stairs, (F/n) doing her best to hook her ankles in front of his waist while he kept one hand on her thigh and the other on the railing.

* * *

9: Hiding Face in Clothes

"(N/n)-chan? We're here."

"Mmm?" (F/n) slowly blinked open her eyes and yawned, "Oh… so soon? Okay. Thanks for the ride, Kyoya." She blindly reached for the door handle, only to pause when she hears Kyoya opening his own door.

The boy climbs out of his side of the limo, grabbing (F/n)'s school bag as he did so, "It was no trouble. Come on, now." For a moment, the (h/c) just watched him, nibbling her lower lip briefly before following him outside.

The evening was warm for an October day. It was almost 7, so there was still some time before the sun would set fully, but it was definitely starting to get darker. At the moment, the sun was hidden from (F/n)'s view, blocked out by her and Haruhi's apartment complex. Only a few rays of light were able to escape around the edges of the building, one of which (F/n) noticed was giving Kyoya's black hair a golden glow along the edges.

(F/n) blushed as she came to his side, "You don't have to walk me to my door…"

"Well, I couldn't have you passing out and hitting your head on the way, now can I? What sort of an upper-class gentleman do you think I am?"

She giggled and lightly shoved his arm, "Don't be so dramatic. I'm not that tired... any more."

"I'm not saying that I don't believe you, but I'm not taking any chances," Kyoya's signature smirk was back in place, and (F/n) couldn't help but smile back. After a few moments, the ravenet performed a small, mock bow, gesturing towards the building, "After you."

(F/n) laughed, the sound barely echoing around the courtyard, "Dork."

The two continued to walk in silence, (F/n) leading the way. As they made their way up the stairs, their thoughts were primarily on each other. It was all Kyoya could do to not reach forward and take (F/n)'s hand, entwining their fingers like they had a number of months ago. He might not appreciate sudden physical contact from others, such as Tamaki's all-encompassing death-hugs, but there was something comforting about the closeness between him and the (N). Like... the way a warm cup of tea on a cold day made you feel.

His smirk eased into gentle smile.

He was so in love.

"Well, here's my stop." Kyoya hesitated just behind (F/n), both of them staring at her front door. Neither of them said it, but they had both been hoping the walk would've lasted just a little bit longer. They hadn't talked, and it wasn't like they wouldn't see each other the next day for the club's weekend movie night… but still.

Kyoya let out a sigh, glancing to his right. The sun had sunk just a little lower on the horizon, the light now just barely reaching over the tops of the buildings beyond the apartment complex. The few trees that had been planted in the narrow strip of grass provided between the rows of buildings were dappled in different shades of green, a few specks of sunlight sparkling through the leaves. It reminded him of the glitter background of (F/n)'s portrait that was currently hung up on the back wall of Music Room 3, right next to his own. It was a nice reminder.

" _Thanks for walking me to my door,_ " (F/n) all but whispered. She had been watching Kyoya lose himself in his thoughts, silently admiring how he looked like he was glowing in the sunlight. She felt nervous… but she wanted to do something.

At the sound of her voice, the ravenet pulled himself back into reality. It was really about time that he went home. Who knows how long they would awkwardly stand there if he didn't leave now? At least he got to spend a few more minutes with (F/n).

Turning around to hand over her school bag, he managed to adopt his usual calm expression, "It was my pleasur-"

A pair of lips brushed against the corner of his own and Kyoya's vocal cords disintegrated on the spot. The sort-of kiss lasted for a maximum of three seconds before (F/n) quickly pulled away. Her face was an unhealthy ashen color as she clapped her hands over her mouth. After a few seconds of staring at each other in shock, the (N)'s face suddenly turned bright red.

" _Oh my gosh…_ Kyoya, I-I'm so sorry! I meant to just kiss your cheek b-but you turned your head and… and... "

"I-it's alright…"

With a little whine of total mortification, she stepped forward and buried her face into his jacket, still mumbling out apology after apology. Despite the embarrassment, it was such a normal reaction between the two of them she didn't even think twice. And once she did, her face somehow burned hotter... but she didn't remove herself.

She couldn't see how Kyoya's smirk had once again returned... full force.

* * *

10: Touching Foreheads

 _(F/n)... just kissed me. It wasn't intended to be an actual kiss... but it was a kiss nonetheless._

With the spark of bravery the almost-kiss had somehow managed to give him, and before he could talk himself out of it or second guess himself, Kyoya quickly dropped (F/n)'s school bag to the ground. Now with two free hands, he eased the girl's face from within his jacket's fabric.

Immediately (F/n) began apologizing faster, looking at either the ground or the balcony railing as she did so, cheeks still a cherry red color. She wasn't looking at him at all. Kyoya felt a smile take over despite himself. She was even more adorable than usual when she became flustered.

"-and I'm really sorry that I did that, I mean I meant to do that but only on your cheek and it was only to say thanks for being so sweet and basically everything else you've ever done for me, I mean you're really nice and I-"

" _Shhh…_ "

The (h/c) stuttered to a stop, (e/c) eyes widening ever so slightly when he pressed a finger to her lips. Once she was effectively hushed, Kyoya trailed the finger down to trace her jawline before cupping her chin. (F/n)'s breath hitched as Kyoya leaned forward, his grey eyes now _way too close_ , their breath mingling in the small space left between their lips. Her hands, which were still holding his jacket, tightened their grip.

" _Kyoya?_ "

" _Silly girl,_ " his face was too close to actually see it, but (F/n) somehow knew he was smiling, " _You missed._ "

(F/n)'s eyelids fluttered shut as her lips were captured in a soft kiss.

* * *

 ***Let's out a long breath of air as my body deflates into a puddle* This took longer than I wanted it too. I guess in order to make good chapters I need something to procrastinate… or double the time it takes to write. And I can't exactly procrastinate work while I'm standing at a register the whole time. Oh well…**

 **If you liked, please favorite, follow, and a leave a review on this chapter! Reviews really do help to encourage me to keep writing. If even one person likes it, I'll keep it up.**

 **Currently accepting requests!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	21. Make a Wish

**How is it that I struggle coming up with ideas for Reader inserts, but I'm now over 30 AUs for my Big Sister Fujioka bonus chapters? Mmm… at least AusllyBeliever came up with this amazing prompt! I hope I did it justice!**

 **Thank you to AusllyBeliever, wealhtheow1, queenglitch, and Mikihiko Tada for your reviews! It means so much to me!**

 **Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine!**

* * *

 **(F/n) = First name**

 **(L/n) = Last name**

 **(h/c) = Hair color (blonde, brunette, ravenette, etc.)**

 **(f/s) = Favorite snack**

 **(f/s/d) = Favorite side dish**

* * *

Make a Wish

The room was dark and quiet, the barest hint of moonlight slipping past the window blinds. The glowing numbers of the bedside clock faintly illuminated the shaking blankets, under which a girl did her best to muffle her sobs.

(F/n) gasped around her tears, pressing her face to her pillow in an effort to keep quiet. Her chest ached with the effort of reining in her cries, throat raw already. Embarrassing memories kept coming back to her, all the different ways she had messed up today… She clutched at the sides of her head, trying to force them out of her head.

The disappointment on her teacher's face when she forgot to bring her homework to school-

 _Stop it!_

The librarian spotting (f/s) in her school bag and shouting at her before kicking her out of the library-

 _No!_

Forgetting her umbrella on the rainiest day of the year-

 _Shut up!_

Dropping her favorite dinner on the floor-

Another sob wracked (F/n) chest, the worst memory slowly bubbling up behind her eyes as even more tears leaked out onto her pillow.

It had started out well enough. (F/n) had just sat down with Kyoya Ootori at the Host Club, her classmate and one of her closest friends at Ouran already teasing her about her continuous 'host hopping'. Tamaki, her other friend, weighed in his two cents from across the room, saying that one of these days she was going to have to pick: Kyoya or Tamaki.

(F/n) teased back that if they just hosted her together she wouldn't have to switch every week. She didn't dare to mention the real reason she switched back and forth. Because if she told them she wanted Kyoya as her only host… he'd figure out she had a crush on him. And it would ruin their friendship. And that was the last thing (F/n) wanted.

 _No,_ she had thought, nodding at Haruhi as she offered a new pot of tea for the table, _it's better this way. And it's not that I don't like hanging around with Tamaki, too. Besides, it's been a rough enough day already. I just need some down time with my friends and everything will-_

The entire teapot fell over as she uncrossed her knees, bumping the table. The hot drink splashed all over her school uniform, from her chest to her shoes and even a bit on her face. Immediately the rest of the hosts had started running about, trying to find (F/n) a clean uniform and some towels while Kyoya helped her lean in such a way that the hot drink wouldn't touch her skin. But by that point (F/n) felt completely numb, too busy reining in her tears. Such an awful day… and now she was embarrassed in front of her crush…

She had run home immediately, not even waiting for the clean uniform to arrive, and allowed her tears to mix with the rain pouring down.

With a shaky breath, she pulled her face out of her pillow, flipping it over so the wet side wasn't against her face. Through bleary vision, she watched as her bedside clock changed to 11:11 pm.

Plucking at a nearby tissue box, the (h/c) wiped at her eyes before shifting a little further under her covers. _11:11_ , she thought bitterly, _time to make a wish._ Wishes… something of fantasy that (F/n) couldn't bring herself to believe in right now…

" _I wish…_ " she cleared her throat, trying to get rid of the scratchy sound, "I wish… to have a good… no, I want a _great_ day tomorrow. Make it perfect, if you wouldn't mind." (F/n) felt her eyelids flutter, and she happily shut them. All she wanted was for this day to end. Besides, she was exhausted.

 _Who knows… maybe Kyoya will tell me he loves me tomorrow._

The faintest trace of a smile graces the girl's face before it went slack, her chest rising and falling as she succumbed to sleep.

)|(

High in the sky above the sleeping girl, a star twinkled a little brighter than before.

)|(

(F/n) riffled through her school bag as she approached the front gates of Ouran Academy. She had already quadruple checked for her homework before she even left her bedroom that morning, but the leftover anxiety from yesterday still had a tight grip on her. It wasn't until she located each and every one of her assignments that the tense feeling in her gut relaxed.

"(F/n)!"

The (h/c) could've sworn her heart stopped when Kyoya called out to her. She watched the ravenet politely but hastily excuse himself from a pair of girls she recognized from the host club before hurrying over to her. Was he… had he been watching for her?

"Morning, Kyoya!" She managed a smile, "How are you?"

"Excellent. And you?"

"Alright." Kyoya's smile fell a little. Mentally, (F/n) smacked her forehead. _Way to go, Debbie-downer. The conversation_ just _started._ Hoping to recover the situation, the (h/c) forced another grin, "So, do you want to wait for Tamaki, or is he already inside?"

"I believe he-"

"Kyoya! (F/n)!" Speak of the Devil… Tamaki was running at them from the front gates. (F/n) found herself smiling a little easier as her second best friend waved at them enthusiastically, like they hadn't already spotted him tearing across the lawn. Even Kyoya had a small smile on his face as the blond ran across the lawn.

 _Okay… today's staring out pretty good. Let's hope I don't ruin anything._

*Time Skip*

"Come on, you two, it's time for lunch!"

Kyoya and (F/n) lifted their eyes from the rough draft of (F/n)'s paper, the ravenet raising an eyebrow, "Ah, so now we exist?"

The blond pouted, "It's not my fault I was assigned to the other group!"

"Is that why you've barely spoken a word to us since class started?"

"Mon ami… you can't blame me for that…" Tamaki whined, draping himself over Kyoya's shoulders, somehow keeping hold even as Kyoya tried to shake him off. (F/n) giggled at the scene, packing away her things. She wasn't upset with Tamaki for the lack of time he had spent with them today. It wasn't his fault that the other girls in class kept calling him away whenever their teachers rotated. And besides, she had Kyoya to talk to, and without Tamaki around, she had the ravenet's attention all to herself.

By the time Kyoya had managed to dump Tamaki's body onto the floor, (F/n) had her bento box in hand and stood up, "Ready to go?"

The boy looked up at (F/n), down to her lunch, then back up again, "Of course. Let's go before the lunch line is too long."

"That sounds like a personal problem." The (h/c) playfully stuck her tongue out at the boy, but gladly walked out of the classroom with him, laughing as Tamaki scrambled to catch up. The trio chatted with ease on their way to the refractory, the blond gleefully linking arms with the other two. (F/n) couldn't help but let herself be sucked into his energy. She knew he was overdoing himself right now because of her previous bad day, but it was working, so she wasn't about to complain.

Bursting into the lunchroom, Tamaki pointed at (F/n) with gusto, "Alright! (F/n), you go find us a place to sit! Kyoya and I will grab our lunches and join you!"

The (h/c) rolled her eyes, but gave her friend a two-finger salute before heading for a group of empty seats. A few other students stared and whispered as she passed by, but (F/n) wasn't bothered by it any longer. Earlier on in the year, when she first became friends with Kyoya and Tamaki, she hadn't known what to make of her sudden popularity-by-association. The rumors, the never ending attention, the _fangirls_ … it had taken some getting used to.

Now, as she at down at an empty table, (F/n) didn't even blink as a few students changed seats so they'd be sitting at either end of the same table, hoping to listen in to (F/n), Tamaki, and Kyoya's conversation.

"Oh! Hi, Kyoya!"

"Kyoya-senpai? Will you join us for lunch?"

"No, _us_!"

"Shut up, he's eating with (F/n)-senpai and Tamaki-senpai! Leave him be!"

The (h/c) glanced over at her crush as he sat beside her, a slightly amused expression on her face, "Why, I'm honored that Mr. Popular has decided to sit with _me_ of all people for lunch."

"Shut up."

"Shall I chew your food for you, Sire?"

"Absolutely not, but I wouldn't mind a poison tester."

(F/n) wasted no time snagging a piece of (f/s/d) from his tray, "Don't mind if I do." She took a bite before smiling at Tamaki as he sat opposite of the boy rooting through her lunch. Noticing his slightly annoyed expression, she swallowed and nudged his shoulder, "I couldn't find anything spicy for you when I made it. Sorry."

The boy shrugged and grabbed a piece of broccoli instead, "That's alright, (F/n). Thank you for sharing nonethele- Tamaki, get your chopsticks out of my lunch this instant."

Tamaki shrunk back with a hint of a smile on his face, not looking too embarrassed at being caught. He began inching his chopsticks towards (F/n)'s lunch next, only to receive another warning from Kyoya. As the boys bantered back and forth, the (h/c) only smiled before helping herself to another piece of Kyoya's lunch.

*Time Skip*

" _Follow me._ "

(F/n) blinked in surprise as Kyoya took her hand, gently pulling her through a small opening in the hedge. For a split second she could still see Tamaki as he began asking for opinions on whether or not they should host in that particular garden come next week or not. And then the hosts were gone, and it was just her and Kyoya walking through the maze.

Giggling a little, the (h/c) walked faster until she was at Kyoya's side, " _Where are you taking me?_ "

" _Wait for it._ "

She giggled more. Something about sneaking around and whispering with Kyoya felt… exciting. (F/n) knew better than to get her hopes up, but she couldn't deny she felt pretty special at the moment with just Kyoya as her company. The ravenet lead her through the hedge maze quickly, glancing backwards every so often to share a small smile with the girl.

Finally they stopped at the edge of another garden. (F/n) smiled and gave Kyoya's hand a squeeze. It was her favorite garden. Did he know that?

But when she turned to Kyoya to ask, she heard what had _really_ made him stop.

"Kyoya~"

"(F/n)?"

"Where you go?"

"Fan out, men! They've got to be here somewhere!"

(F/n)'s smile grew wide, " _Hide and Seek, hm?_ " Kyoya opened his mouth, but couldn't seem to find the words. Of course he'd try to give the two of them the leading edge if he knew they were playing a game.

She quickly tugged the boy into motion, the two of them running out of the garden and deeper into the maze, " _You realize you're supposed to hide by yourself, right?"_

He didn't respond, merely taking the lead and steering them to the right, further away from the school buildings. Or was it closer? (F/n) tightened her grip on Kyoya's hand when she realized she didn't recognize this part of the maze.

" _Nevermind. Don't leave me._ "

Finally, the two stopped beneath a willow tree. (F/n) glanced up and smiled, " _Good thinking. Let's climb. They'll never spot us up there!_ " And with that, she grabbed the lowest branch and hauled herself upwards. The dress skirt made the climb a little more cumbersome than she would've liked, but eventually the two 2nd year students were safely sitting a good distance off the ground.

Kyoya situated himself with his back to the tree trunk and gestured (F/n) to come closer. When she did, he pulled her to the branch next to him, " _Please be careful. I don't want you to fall._ "

(F/n) rolled her eyes, well aware of the danger, but didn't say anything. Leaning her head on the boy's shoulder, the two continued to wait in silence as their friends called out their names all around.

*Time Skip*

 _It's official. This is the best day ever._ (F/n) smiled to herself as she walked down the hallway. _Maybe it's because I had such a rotten day yesterday? I used up all my bad luck, so I'm left with only good luck today?_

She swung her school bag like a little kid would, resisting the urge to twirl and dance her way down the North Hall. The school day was over, and now all that was left was to hang out with the Host Club! Perhaps she should sit with Tamaki today? Considering she hadn't been able to talk with him much other than lunch time… but it was Kyoya's week, still…

Pushing the door open, (F/n) barely got out a 'hello' before Kyoya was standing in front of her, "(F/n), right on time. Let's go."

"Huh?" For the second time that day, Kyoya grabbed her hand and steered her away from the host club. Not that she entirely minded… but what was _this_ one about?

"I appear to not have any guests scheduled today other than you, so I figured you wouldn't mind if we went somewhere different." The ravenet suddenly stopped and looked at the girl, "Unless, of course, you don't want-"

"No no! I do! That sounds like fun! Where did you have in mind?"

Kyoya blinked, looking almost surprised by (F/n)'s enthusiasm. Even so, he managed a smirk before turning back around and leading his friend out of the school, neither of them giving the music room a backwards glance.

*Time Skip*

(F/n) let out a sigh, leaning on Kyoya's shoulder for the second time that day. The two were sitting on a park bench, a half-filled container of movie theater popcorn in the girl's lap. The sun was just barely touching the horizon, signalling that the day was almost over. In front of them pedestrians milled around the sidewalk, some of them looked at the windows of the downtown stores, others actually walked inside before coming out with shopping bags on their arms, and a fair few just continued strolling along, heading home after a long Friday.

The (h/c) trailed her fingers along the rim of the popcorn bucket. The buttery smell was tempting, but she was still full from the dinner she and Kyoya had grabbed before the movie. Even so, she wasn't ready for the day to be over yet.

"Where to next?"

Kyoya glanced down at the girl, a hint of a smile on his face, "Anywhere you wish. I'm just glad that you're having fun."

Heat flooded (F/n)'s face. She quickly looked down at her toes, "Thank you for this, by the way. You didn't have to…take me to the movies or anything like that."

"I don't believe I had much of a choice." Kyoya let out his own sigh, leaning a little more against (F/n), "After the awful day you had yesterday, it was the least I could do to give you a good afternoon."

"I…" (F/n) didn't know what to say. So he had noticed her bad day, and was trying to make her feel better? How sweet!

"But I must apologize, because I had planned on giving you a full day of enjoyment, but nothing worked out the way I wanted it to." (F/n) pulled away and blinked at the boy. What was he talking about?

* _Flashback_ *

"Otonari-san, Seki-san, I would love to continue this conversation later on today, but I really must be going."

"Going where?" The blonde giggled and twirled a lock of hair around her finger, "Classes don't start for another twenty minutes." Kyoya felt his jaw clench a little in annoyance. He could've sworn the appeal form was burning a hole through his jacket pocket. Twenty minutes… he had twenty minutes to hand it in to the office and stop (F/n) at the front gates so they could enjoy a day off of school. She'd had such an awful day yesterday, she deserved a day off…

Between the two girl's heads, a familiar figure walked into Kyoya's line of sight. _Oh no…_

"(F/n)!"

The (h/c) spun around at the call of her name, looking almost surprised as Kyoya quickly excused himself from the girls. They pouted and called his name, but he ignored them.

"Morning, Kyoya! How are you?" (F/n) gave him a smile, which he found himself returning.

"Excellent. And you?"

"Alright." Kyoya's heart twinged in empathy. No doubt she was still thinking about how bad yesterday had been. The girl winced slightly, as if suddenly realizing how sad her voice sounded before forcing a tight grin. "So, do you want to wait for Tamaki, or is he already inside?"

"I believe he-"

"Kyoya! (F/n)!" Kyoya let out a soft sigh. As much as he would've liked to tell (F/n) that he wanted to give her a day off of school without Tamaki trying to tag along, he could easily tell that (F/n)'s smile had become a little less fake at the arrival of her other best friend. It was enough for Kyoya to give the enthusiastic blond a small smile in gratitude.

Reaching into his pocket to crumble up the appeal form, the ravenet reassessed the situation. _A perfect day at school for (F/n)… very well. Shouldn't be too difficult._

)|(

"Come on, you two, it's time for lunch!"

Kyoya looked up from the rough draft of (F/n)'s paper, raising an eyebrow at the blond, "Ah, so now we exist?" He couldn't do much about the bitter tone in his voice. How was he supposed to give (F/n) a perfect day if one of her best friends didn't even speak to her?

Tamaki pouted, crossing his arms in defiance, "It's not my fault I was assigned to the other group!"

"Is that why you've barely spoken a word to us since class started?"

"Mon ami…" Tamaki dropped himself onto Kyoya's shoulders, nearly pulling the ravenet off his chair and onto the floor, "You can't blame me for that…"

Groaning a little under the heavy weight, Kyoya shoved at the blond's arms. In front of him (F/n) was giggling, probably finding the whole scene amusing. Supposedly a silver lining, but that didn't mean Kyoya had to enjoy it. Besides, how was he supposed to buy (F/n) a lunch with Tamaki clinging to him like a koala?

 _Thump!_

Kyoya rolled his shoulders experimentally as Tamaki's body weight fell off. Hopefully he wouldn't find any bruising there later.

"Ready to go?" (F/n) was standing up now, her school bag in one hand and in the other… _Drat._

"Of course. Let's go before the lunch line is too long."

"That sounds like a personal problem." (F/n) stuck her tongue out at Kyoya before following him out of the classroom. The two began walking down the hallway along with the other students, Tamaki rushing to join them from behind, linking arms with both of them. Kyoya eyed his friend momentarily, somewhat confused by his childish behaviors, before noticing the blond glancing down at (F/n)'s smile every few seconds. The two boys exchanged a glance and a head nod before Tamaki returned to his conversation with (F/n).

 _Alright… I couldn't have been the only one to noticed how upset (F/n) was yesterday. Now, if only I could think of a way to salvage the lunch situation._

The three remained linked together up until they stepped into the refractory. Tamaki spun around in front of the other two, stopping them in their tracks. After directing (F/n) to find the three of them a table, he grabbed Kyoya's arm and tugged him to the lunch line.

" _Mon ami, what's the plan?_ "

" _There isn't one. I was hoping to buy (F/n) a hot lunch today, but she brought a bento box instead._ "

Tamaki rolled his eyes, " _You two always eat parts of each other's lunch every day. You'll have to try something different… something that (F/n) doesn't get every day by being your crush._ "

Kyoya sharply elbowed the blond in the side, nearly causing him to drop his lunch, " _Don't say things like that. The last thing (F/n) needs today is to lose a best friend._ "

" _Kyoya…_ " But the ravenet wasn't listening anymore. He carried his tray through the lunchroom, searching for a familiar (h/c). As he walked, various girls called out to him, asking him to join them for lunch. He ignored them.

(F/n) glanced at Kyoya out of the corner of her eyes as he sat on her left, "Why, I'm honored that Mr. Popular has decided to sit with _me_ of all people for lunch."

"Shut up."

"Shall I chew your food for you, Sire?"

"Absolutely not, but I wouldn't mind a poison tester."

(F/n)'s chopsticks were poking through his lunch before he even finished speaking, grabbing a bit of (f/s/d), "Don't mind if I do." As she chewed and greeted Tamaki, the ravenet poked around her own lunch for something appealing.

 _Something different… but what?_

)|(

It was a split second decision.

" _Follow me._ "

Kyoya didn't wait for a response before grabbing (F/n)'s hand and pulling her through a side opening in the hedge. They wouldn't be missed while the rest of the hosts made the decision. Any of the gardens in the maze would be perfectly suitable for hosting, after all. They wouldn't be missed.

(F/n) jogged a little to catch up, giggling a little as she asked where they were going.

" _Wait for it._ "

More giggling. Kyoya gave her a brief smile before leading her through another opening. He wasn't sure what it was, but something about sneaking around the hedge maze with (F/n) felt… daring. Giving his friends the slip in order to be completely alone with (F/n)... his heart rate quickened just thinking about it.

After another minute of navigating the maze, they finally arrived at their destination. (F/n)'s favorite garden. He had been surprised when the (h/c) hadn't immediately suggested hosting here next week, which sparked his idea to spend their free period here, together.

(F/n) squeezed his hand softly. He felt the beginnings of a smile form on his face when he suddenly heard what she must've heard.

"Kyoya~"

"(F/n)?"

"Where you go?"

"Fan out, men! They've got to be here somewhere!"

 _Oh no…_

" _Hide and Seek, hm?_ " Kyoya opened his mouth, ready to explain that they weren't playing a commoner game, when he stopped himself. It was embarrassing enough to have the moment interrupted, the last thing he wanted was to accidentally confess to (F/n) right before the rest of their friends barged in.

Thankfully the (h/c) only seemed amused, quickly pulling him through the garden and out the other side, teasing him for trying to "cheat" the game and hide with her. Not bothering to correct her, Kyoya decided their best possible outcome would be to hide for the rest of the free period and explain what had happened to Tamaki in class.

The hosts called out again, spurring Kyoya into motion. With ease he began leading them deeper into the maze. It helped that he'd been learning to navigate it since he was in elementary school.

(F/n)'s grip tightened, the girl moving closer as to hold onto his arm with her other hand, " _Nevermind. Don't leave me._ "

Her words forced him to stop in the middle of another garden, this one with a grand willow tree in the middle and a koi pond to the right. (F/n) smiled at the tree and praised his idea to hide up in the branches before beginning to climb, unknowingly leaving the boy behind.

" _I would never._ "

Kyoya possibly would've continued to stare up at the climbing girl for much longer if it weren't for the sounds of the host club drawing closer. With a groan, he grabbed two tree branches and did his best to follow after the (h/c). This was most definitely _not_ how he had imagined his free period going.

Thankfully, neither of them fell or scratched up their hands too badly, coming to a stop perhaps 2 meters off the ground. Kyoya quickly sat with his back to the tree trunk, feeling more than a little put out by the day's turn of events. Why is it that nothing was going right?

Glancing at (F/n) out of the corner of his eye, he nervously took note of the swaying branch she was sitting on. With one hand, he beckoned her closer, hardly daring to breath until she scooted herself close enough for him to physically grab. For a moment he was tempted to pull her into his lap, but placed her on the branch beside him instead.

" _Please be careful. I don't want you to fall._ "

She didn't respond, merely leaning her head on his shoulder. Kyoya hoped she hadn't noticed the way he stopped breathing momentarily.

 _I hope they never find us._

)|(

 _It's official. I'm the worst friend ever._ Kyoya flipped through his journal frantically as he paced around Music Room 3, trying to find something that would help him salvage (F/n)'s day. The words ' _something special something special'_ echoed through his head on repeat.

 _Cake?_

 _Something special._

 _Tea?_

 _Something special._

 _Hosting time?_

 _Something-_

Kyoya stopped walking. He had ended on one of the pages at the front. Everyone's guests for the day. (F/n) was in _his_ list. With a smirk, he pulled out his pen and drew a few lines through the names beneath hers.

 _And now she's the_ only one _in my list._

"Now, Kyoya-senpai…"

"Why on Earth would you do that?"

The ravenet spun around, startled at the sight of the Hitachiin twins grinning devilishly at him, "That wasn't very nice of your other guests to cancel their time with you, today."

"He did what?" Oh great, now they had Tamaki's attention, too. In fact, the entire host club was staring at Kyoya.

"Are you not hosting today, Kyo-chan?"

"Oh, no, he's hosting, Honey-senpai."

"But _apparently_ only _(F/n)_ today."

At the twin's explanation, Honey held his bun-bun up in an attempt to hide his giggling. Haruhi rolled her eyes and returned her attention to setting up her tea, but looked amused nonetheless. Even Mori had a smile on his face. It was small, but practically a thunderclap coming from the stoic 3rd year. And Tamaki, of course, was cheekily tapping the side of his nose.

"Sneaky, sneaky, Kyoya. Was stealing (F/n) away during free period not enough for you?"

Never had Kyoya ever felt so embarrassed. Not even when he was showing Tamaki around Japan when they first met. He clutched his journal tightly, trying to think of a proper response.

Haruhi sighed from her couch before looking over her shoulder, "Kyoya-senpai, don't you think you should just _tell her?_ It's obvious she likes you just as much as you like her."

 _Oh no._

"Exactly! That's what I've been trying to get you to do all day! Why do you think I left you two alone the entire class period?"

 _Oh no._

"Well, if you don't tell her, Kyoya-senpai…"

"...we'll _happily_ step in for you _._ "

The front doors opened, a familiar hello ringing out.

"(F/n), right on time." Kyoya was out the door with (F/n)'s hand in his before she even poked her head in, "Let's go."

"Huh?"

Hoping his face wasn't various shades of red, Kyoya responded with the calmest voice he could muster, "I appear to not have any guests scheduled today other than you, so I figured you wouldn't mind if we went somewhere different."

They rounded the first corner when he reminded himself to stop and turn to face the (h/c). There was no guarantee that she would want to accompany him on such short notice. Perhaps she wanted some time with the other hosts, whom she hadn't seen all day… thanks to him.

"Unless, of course, you don't want-"

"No no! I do! That sounds like fun! Where did you have in mind?"

Kyoya blinked hard once, surprised by her enthusiasm. If anything, he could've sworn she would've gotten bored of his company over the course of the day. But now that he knew she wanted to spend _more_ time with him…

He gave her a smirk before starting to lead her towards the front doors of the school. _Where was I planning on taking her this morning again?_

* _End Flashback_ *

"-I suppose that means my plan came full circle, but I'm truly sorry that I wasn't able to give you a great day like I had originally hoped for."

(F/n)'s mouth had fallen open at some point during the conversation, eyes glued to the boy sitting beside her while he stared at the sidewalk before them. It sounded like he had ended his story, which was (F/n)'s cue to start laughing.

Kyoya whipped his head around, watching the girl in shock as she shrieked with laughter. The popcorn bucket nearly fell off her lap as she wrapped his left arm up in a hug, laughter regressing into giggles while happy tears pricked at the corner of her eyes.

"I… (F/n)? Why-"

"Because you're just… incredible, Kyoya Ootori." (F/n) poured as much adoration into her smile as she dared, beaming up at the ravenet, "You gave me an absolute _perfect_ day without even _trying!_ Nothing happened the way you planned and yet…"

"Perfect? How could this day have been perfect? Hardly anything was different from your usual days, other than a lack of time spent with the others-"

" _Exactly._ "

He paused, eyes narrowing slightly, "Pardon?"

(F/n) knew her cheeks must be the color of tomatoes, so she ducked her head down as she responded, " _I said 'exactly'... because I got to spend all day with you._ "

There was a moment of silence.

"Just me?"

"Just you."

She felt more than heard his responding hum, heart sinking in her chest. Calmly extracting her arms from her friend, she wrung her hands together, mentally preparing for the following speech. The whole ' _I'm sorry, I just see you as a friend_ ' speech. The one she'd been trying to prepare for ever since she realized she had a crush on the Ootori boy.

"I don't think your day has been quite perfect."

(F/n) felt something akin to a physical punch in her stomach, her fingertips growing white as she knotted them together tighter in her lap.

Which is why she was so surprised to feel a warm hand cup her cheek and steer her face up to Kyoya's. Without a word the ravenet leaned in and pressed their lips together.

The two teenagers remained in that position for a while, slowly relaxing into the kiss the longer it went on. (F/n)'s eyelids flickered shut, her hands slipping around Kyoya's chest to twist into the back of his shirt. She smiled faintly against his lips as the hand cupping her cheek changed to cradling the back of her head.

At the sound of a wolf whistle (F/n) opened her right eye, spotting the host club watching from a distance. A number of them were jumping up and down and exchange a combination of high fives and wads of money with each other. The (h/c) smirked against Kyoya's lips before shutting her eyes again, doing her best to shoo the host club off with a wave of her hand.

It must've worked, because when they finally broke apart their friends were nowhere to be seen.

(F/n) giggled as Kyoya pressed their foreheads together.

" _There…_ now _it's perfect._ "

*The Night Before*

Kyoya was tossing and turning, unable to find a comfortable position no matter how hard he tried. His bed sheets were tangled around his legs, but he couldn't bother trying to fix them regardless. He was too busy trying to think of ways to give (F/n) a good day tomorrow.

His mouth forms a frown as memories of the girl's clear misery throughout the day played on repeat in his head. Heart twinging painfully in his chest, the ravenet rolled onto his back and ran a hand through his hair. It was ridiculous how difficult this was. If it wasn't for Haruhi's beratement of the love letter he and the twins had written for Suzushima, he probably wouldn't be overthinking it so much… but as it was…

Letting out a great huff, Kyoya let his head loll to the side. The clock on his bedside table was just barely visible in the moonlight filtering through the large windows of his bedroom. Cool grey eyes watch listlessly as the second hand ticks its way around the clock face. It passes the 12 at the top and the minute hand moves.

11:11 pm.

Sighing, Kyoya returned his gaze to the ceiling. He really needed to sleep… but (F/n) was more important. Even so, it was becoming harder to fight the pull of his eyelids together. With a yawn, he manages to think, _Let me think of a way to give (F/n) a great day tomorrow by morning. The perfect day…_ He yawned again, tired eyes closed already.

 _Maybe I'll even confess that I love her._ A hint of a smile played across the boy's lips before he fell fast asleep.

)|(

High in the sky above the sleeping boy, a star twinkled a little brighter than before.

)|(

* * *

 **Ahhhhh! I finally finished it! Heck yeah!**

 **If you liked it, please favorite, follow, and leave a review! I love hearing from you all! And requests are OPEN! Feel free to send in prompts and I will do the best I can to write them out for you!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	22. A Christmas Miracle

**Hey, everyone! So, since my semester's over and I'm not going to have my laptop for two weeks, I'm gonna do an early contribution to Fic-mas and write out as many chapters as I can! Happy Fic-mas!**

 **Thank you to AusllyBeliever and Mikihiko Tada for your reviews! They really mean a lot to me! I'm glad you enjoyed my last chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own.**

* * *

 **(F/n) = First name**

 **(L/n) = Last name**

 **(h/c) = Hair color**

 **(e/c) = Eye color**

 **(f/c) = Favorite color**

 **(f/h/d) = Favorite hot drink (that's non-alcoholic, if you can)**

* * *

A Christmas Miracle

Sunday

The constant chorus of pencil lead scritch scratching on paper echoed through the Fujioka's apartment. A heavy layer of stress had settled over the eight high schoolers gathered there, heads bent over notes and textbooks as they prepared for the upcoming dreaded exam week. A new tradition of the Host Club, which gave them a plethora of study partners, multiple notes, and enough collective common sense to know when to take a break.

Tamaki Suoh, however, was having a harder time studying than his club mates. Every so often he would glance away from his papers to glare heatedly in the direction of Kyoya Ootori and (F/n) (L/n). His two fellow 2nd years were nestled together on the other end of the dining room table, their shoulders brushing as they poured over both of their notebooks at the same time.

As the blond watched, (F/n) reached up and flipped a page before pointing to something. Without a word, Kyoya pointed at the other notebook, the two having apparently found yet another connection to help with their studying. The ravenet turned his head and murmured softly into the girl's ear, neither of them seemingly bothered by how they had started to actually lean against each other.

Tamaki's left eyelid twitched. It was more than obvious that the two were hopelessly smitten with each other.

In the living room, Kaoru stretched at his spot around the coffee table, arching his back with a soft groan before standing up and making his way towards the bathroom. As the redhead passed by the kitchen table where the 2nd years were working, he eyed the snuggling pair and rolled his eyes. He was thinking the exact same thing that Tamaki was.

As the door to the bathroom slid shut, (F/n)'s head jerked a little. She glanced at the clock on the wall, "Oh, wow. It's getting late. We should probably get something to eat."

Her voice disrupted the quiet atmosphere. The others blinked themselves out of their studying mindset, some glancing towards their watches to check the time themselves. A few stomachs rumbled around the apartment, their owners finally realizing how hungry they all were.

Haruhi rolled her neck and shoulders, "Alright… whose turn is it to make a food run?"

"Mine." (F/n) raised a hand. She didn't look very pleased about the notion of standing up.

Beside her, Kyoya let out a soft grunt as he stood, stretching his arms above his head, "Do you want a ride to the restaurant? It is raining."

"Yes, please. Everyone's orders still the same?" After receiving a number of nods and a faint ' _yes_ ' from the bathroom, the two 2nd years quickly pulled on their winter coats and boots. Kyoya had just barely closed the door behind them when all hell broke loose.

Hikaru was the first to move, slamming his hands on the table, making it shake and sending a number of pencils to the floor, "Are you _kidding me?_ How are they _still_ going around each other in circles?" Immediately the others are agreeing, Honey pouting and Tamaki ticking off all the ways they've proved their crush for each other in the past week.

Even Kaoru was complaining as soon as he stepped out of the bathroom, "Kyoya-senpai's going to be _hell_ to deal with over break, too, what with (F/n)-senpai going home and everything." More nods of agreement.

Tamaki abruptly stood up, taking a stance in the doorway between the kitchen and living room, "Well, then… I suppose our next job is clear. You're all aware that it's our job as the Ouran Host Club to make every girl happy. And that's _exactly_ what we're going to do. For this coming week it's our sworn duty to get those two together before (F/n) leaves on Friday night!"

To the blond's great surprise, the rest of the club cheered, for once agreeing with his plan completely.

Monday

(F/n) frowned, flicking her pages of notes back and forth as she walked down the hallway. A soft noise of worry escaped the back of her throat before a pale hand entered her vision, gently pulling the notebook away from her.

"Kyoya, I think I-"

"Whatever you think you got wrong on the exam is not going to help you now, (F/n)." The ravenet quickly slipped the notebook into the girl's schoolbag, giving her a reassuring smile, "You were studying all weekend, and no doubt you did your best while taking the exam. This is just post-exam anxiety." The ravenet gave the (h/c)'s hand a quick squeeze of reassurance, pleased to see her smile return.

The sharp jab against Kyoya's other side was ignored. He knew Tamaki would be glaring at him for not "sweeping (F/n) off her feet" just then, but what was he expecting? There was hardly anything romantic about calming someone down after an exam. The blond was just worked up because Kyoya had (F/n)'s scarf tied around his neck, due to the fact that he'd forgotten his own at home. It wasn't like the ravenet minded, though. He was partial to (f/c).

"So where are we studying toni _iiiiiiiiigh!_ " (F/n)'s question ended in a squeal, due to the snowball hitting her in the neck, the freezing snow managing to slip into her clothes and melt against her warm skin. She shoved her school bag into Kyoya's arms before taking off through the snow. " _Hikaru! Kaoru! You're so dead!_ "

The twins cackled at the (h/c)'s threat, running in the opposite direction with their arms full of more snowballs. As more students began filtering out of the buildings and approaching the front gate, they found themselves drawn into the mounting snowball fight. Kids from the elementary school all the way up to high schoolers were getting in on the action, dropping their school bags off to the side before diving into the fray.

Kyoya smirked in amusement as he watched. (F/n) had apparently formed an alliance with Honey and Mori already. A good call on her part. After a quick word with the short blond, he was climbing onto (F/n)'s shoulders in order to start targeting others from above. Beneath him, (F/n) spun around in different directions, occasionally calling out the names of people she wanted hit next.

The next spin had the two facing in Kyoya's direction. As Honey started firing a line of snowballs after a fleeing Tamaki, (F/n) beamed in the ravenet's direction. Kyoya couldn't help but wave back at the girl. She looked like she was having so much fun.

(F/n) reached out a hand and beckoned him closer. ' _Come on_ ' she mouthed, still smiling, ' _It's fun!_ ' Kyoya merely shook his head, though he returned the smile. Across the way, (F/n) pouted a little, but was quickly distracted by a snowball to the back.

Sighing, Kyoya leaned against the staircase railing, watching as Nekozawa-senpai and Kirimi also lingered on the edge of the battle, probably chanting something under their breaths. A sudden breeze swept across the courtyard, the cold biting at Kyoya's cheeks. The boy shivered, readjusting the scarf further around his face. The cold sparked a deep redness on his face, the color having nothing to do with how he could faintly smell (F/n)'s shampoo on the fabric.

Kyoya didn't realize he had closed his eyes until it was too late.

 _Bap!_

He stumbled backwards with a gasp, hands quickly brushing the dripping snow off of his face. His glasses were smeared with water and ice. After drying them off with his school jacket, Kyoya assessed the damage. Besides a slightly wounded pride, it was just wet hair, a cold and stinging face, and... the _scarf_. It was drenched with melted snow.

One look at Kyoya's expression and Hikaru was bolting in the other direction. Behind the redhead, his latest snowball victim dropped the two school bags in his arms to the ground before giving chase. A hastily made snowball barely grazed Hikaru's left ear and he yelped, darting further into the crowd.

Kyoya scowled as he packed yet another lump of snow, but his target was long gone. However…

"Kyo-chan's in it now!" The 2nd year leaned backwards to avoid a snowball from Honey, who was now residing on his cousin's shoulders. Before the ravenet could question where (F/n) had gone, the (h/c) was at his side and lobbing a snowball at the 3rd years.

She flashed a bright smile at him, "Partners?"

"Agreed."

The snowball war continued for perhaps another hour after that. The snow covered courtyard was covered in boot prints and the remains of snowballs that had missed their targets. Not a single square inch of snow had been left untouched, serving as a well deserved stress relief from a day full of tests and examinations. As the teachers and janitors left later that evening, they smiled and shook their heads at the carnage.

Across town the host club was huddled in (F/n)'s apartment, everyone thankfully changed into fresh, _warm_ clothes as they began setting up the place to begin studying for the next day.

(F/n) walked out of her bathroom, brushing out her recently blowdried hair the best she could, "Do you all want dinner now or later?"

"Now!"

"We're starving, (F/n)-senpai!"

"Wasting away!"

"Need… home… _cooking!_ "

The (h/c) raised an eyebrow at the twin's theatrics before sighing, "Fine. But I want some help-" She cut herself off at the sight of Haruhi already pulling things out of the refrigerator and Kyoya clearing stacks of paper off the countertop.

As (F/n) joined the two, pulling out ingredients and giving instructions, Tamaki spotted the twins sitting up from where they'd fallen over during their acting. Their teasing smiles were gone, replaced with what could only be disbelief and annoyance.

They thrusted their arms forward at the same time, as if silently saying, ' _Um…_ what?!'

He knew how they felt.

Tuesday

Before leaving the school building the next day, (F/n) sneakily poked her head out the door and took a look around. Spotting nothing amiss, she pulled her head back inside.

"It's okay, Kyoya. The twins aren't outside." Receiving a sigh of relief, she pushed the door open further and stepped outside. Freshly fallen snow crunched beneath her boots as she lead the way down the stairs, "One last day of exams! And then a random day of school for some reason before winter break officially starts! Whoo-hoo!"

The ravenet walking by her side smirked as she spun around, clearly happy, "I am aware of the school's calendar, (F/n). And that extra day after exams is for-"

"(F/n)! Kyoya! There you are!" Tamaki's sudden arrival effectively cut his best friend off, the blond easily ignoring Kyoya's disgruntled expression in favor of linking arms with (F/n), "Come on, let's go! We've only got a little time!"

"For what?"

Not offering any explanation further, he drags the girl to his limo where it's waiting at the curb. Once there, he opens the door and all but shoves (F/n) inside. Grinning, Tamaki gestured for Kyoya to follow the girl. His best friend raised an eyebrow and did just that.

"(F/n)'s going to kill you for that move."

"Let's hope not."

And he slammed the door shut.

*\/*

(F/n) raised an eyebrow at the building they pulled in front of, "Well… I'm glad I'm wearing tall socks."

"What do you mean?"

"Have you ever been ice skating before?"

Kyoya shook his head, also staring at the ice rink outside of (F/n)'s window, "Cannot say that I have. There was never the opportunity to do so before."

"Hm… this should be interesting, then."

Before Kyoya could ask what she meant by that, (F/n) was climbing out of the car, leaving Kyoya little choice but to follow. The rest of the club was waiting for them just inside the double doors.

"What was _that,_ Tamaki?" The blond coward behind Mori as the (h/c) shouted at him, "You just _tossed_ me onto the _floor_ of your _car?_ Where did all of your _manners_ go?"

"I didn't mean to! I just wanted to get you into the car, but you wouldn't unless I told you, and I wanted this to be a surprise!"

By the time (F/n) calmed down Kyoya had already rented the both of them a pair of skate boots. Even so, the (h/c) was grumbling to herself as she laced them up. Beside her, Kyoya cautiously copied her movements, making sure to tie the boots tightly against his calves. They felt odd on his feet. He couldn't remember the last time his ankles felt so constricted.

"You ready?"

The ravenet felt very unready, but couldn't say that, so he merely nodded and took the girl's offered hands. Standing up wasn't nearly as hard as Kyoya thought it would be. With a smirk, he followed (F/n) across the colorful carpet.

The closer they came to the doors leading to the rink, the colder the air became. Around them at various tables a few families and students sat around with various snacks and warm drinks. Kyoya glared at the boy making flirty eyes at (F/n) before the girl pulled him through the doors.

His breath misted in front of him, the lack of a carpet making walking a little shakier. With rising nerves, the ravenet used his free hand to tighten the (f/c) scarf around his neck. Through the glass that surrounded the ice rink, he could see the rest of the host club already skating around with the other occupants. Other than Haruhi, they all seemed at least decent at ice skating, but the brunette was being dragged around the rink by the twins, so at least she was moving.

Before he knew it, Kyoya found himself standing at the entrance. (F/n) was careful in stepping on the ice, her knees shaking a little as she attempted to regain her balance. But once she managed that, she turned and smiled at Kyoya, waiting for him to join her.

"You go on ahead. I'll catch up."

The (h/c) narrowed her eyes a little, confused by the request, but just then another skater nearly ran into her. After a few hasty apologies, she gave Kyoya a sheepish smile before moving along the ice. She was not a professional by any means, but neither was she bad at it.

Kyoya sighed before taking a step onto the ice. Immediately he almost fell down. The surface was far more slippery than he had anticipated. Readjusting his glasses, the ravenet gripped the railing and pulled his other foot onto the ice.

 _Alright… not so bad so far… it's simply putting one foot in front of the-_

"Woah!" Another skater brushed against his left arm and Kyoya fell onto his butt. Grunting in pain, he managed to wave the young girl off before trying to stand up. Making sure his fingers weren't in the way of any passing skates and holding onto the railing with a death grip, the ravenet managed to stand up again.

"Kyoya! Mon Ami, are you alright? That was some fall!"

Tamaki backpedaled a bit at the sheer venom in Kyoya's returning glare, "Whose idiotic idea was it to strap blades to a pair of boots and move over _ice_ with them?"

"...You've never ice skated before, have you?"

"...No."

"Hm." The blond tapped at his bottom lip with his pointer finger, "Very well. This might work to our advantage!"

" _What?_ "

"(F/n)!"

Kyoya's eyes widened as the (h/c) slowed herself down next to Tamaki, looking between her two classmates in confusion. He knew there was no way she didn't know he had yet to move since she left him a few minutes ago.

"Yeah, Tamaki?"

"Help Kyoya learn to skate!" And with that, he took off around the rink again.

(F/n) sighed, but was smiling still as she moved to stand in front of Kyoya, "Take my hand. You're having fun today even if I have to drag you around the rink."

Kyoya had never been more grateful to hold her hand.

Wednesday

Confetti rained down on the girl's heads when they first entered Music Room #3. They gasped and giggled, but the real squeals came from spotting the Host Club gathered around a chair in reds and greens. There were a number of santa and elf hats present as well. Not to mention the many tables spread out behind them, a box presenting a pre-made gingerbread house and containers of frosting and candies atop of each and every one.

Tamaki stood and threw his hands outwards, "Welcome, ladies! And congratulations on making it through another round of exams! As this evening will be our last hosting event before winter break, we've decided to hold a group contest!" Instantly the guests are in an uproar, turning and chatting with each other, clearly excited. None of them gave the (h/c) walking away from them a passing glance. They all knew that (F/n) wasn't just _any_ guest.

Kyoya smirked as (F/n) joined him and the rest of the hosts, her (e/c) eyes trailing up and down his outfit, "I never pegged you as someone who'd wear a santa hat."

"It was Tamaki's idea."

She hummed, "I figured. I like your sweater, though."

Before he could reply, Tamaki spoke up again, "We will be making Gingerbread houses. The winners will each receive a _free_ Host Club calendar for the upcoming year! Alright everyone… pick your partner!"

There was a mad rush as the girls scrambled to grab a hold of the art students and creative ones in their midst. Kyoya was watching with a vague sense of interest when he felt a tug on his sweater sleeve.

(F/n) was giving him the sweetest smile she could muster, "If there's an extra table… I wouldn't mind trying to make a gingerbread house either. I don't even need the reward, considering I see you guys almost every day."

Goodness, the girl was going to give him a cavity one of these days.

"But of course."

Ten minutes later and everyone was settled at their own tables, quickly unpacking the gingerbread. It was stiff beneath their fingers, nothing at all like the gingerbread cookies their chefs made them… how did commoners _live_ like this? But, it was for the first look at the Host Club's calendar for next year, so it was worth it.

Not to mention the extra bit of entertainment.

As they worked, the girls around the room would occasionally elbow each other or point towards one of the tables at the front, where Kyoya and (F/n) had set up shop. The ravenet's santa hat had already been moved to the (h/c)'s head, the fluffy bobble occasionally flopping into her face before the boy moved it out of the way for her.

Kyoya occasionally would glance at the instructions for the construction and design, but he seemed content in letting (F/n) do whatever she wanted with the frosting and accompanying candies. It was cute when she suddenly placed a dot of the cream on his nose, especially when all he did was smile and return the favor.

As the rest of the hosts roamed between the tables, they often found themselves staring at the two themselves. How was it possible that they weren't together yet? Anyone with eyes could see the significance in Kyoya's smile. And anyone with a heart could tell how (F/n)'s belonged to the boy standing beside her.

Tamaki resisted the urge to tear his own hair out when, by the time the contest ended, the two were no closer than they had been when they started. He still had two more days left...

Thursday

The entire student body burst out into the daylight, racing towards their waiting cars at the front. Winter break was _finally_ here, and many of the students were fully ready to hop on a plane and take off for a tropical island getaway. (F/n) couldn't stop smiling. This time tomorrow she'd be heading off towards the airport herself. She missed home.

"(F/n)! You ready to go?"

She abruptly stopped, crossing her arms tightly against her torso, "Go _where?_ I'm not moving until you tell me this time."

Tamaki sighed, letting his head fall backwards, "Fine. We're going to look at all the lights and decorations around the city. It'll get dark in a couple hours, so I figured we'd all go out to eat somewhere beforehand. There, sound good?"

(F/n)'s eyes drifted over the blond's shoulder, where she spotted his limo waiting at the front gates. Kyoya was standing by the back door, seemingly waiting for the two of them to join him. Behind Tamaki's car were two other limos she recognized, the rest of the club no doubt inside of them waiting to go.

She smiled, "Sounds like a plan."

*\/*

"Oh, _wow…_ "

(E/c) eyes widened at the vast ocean of color before them. (F/n) slowly inched forward, unable to take it all in at once. Around her the rest of the club made similar noises of appreciation, while around _them_ the large crowds bustled to and from, trying to see the lights in the best view. And no wonder. Christmas eve was tomorrow, which was Midtown's busiest day of the year, but at least there weren't any security officers around today.

A hand suddenly found hers in the crowd, but she didn't flinch. She knew who it belonged to.

Kyoya tilted his face towards hers, "Do you want to move closer?" His words were somewhat muffled by the scarf and face mask, but (F/n) could still see the way his grey eyes flickered in amusement. Probably from how excited she was to see colored lights.

She nodded eagerly and let herself be lead away, casually weaving her fingers in between Kyoya's as they went.

Friday

This… wasn't exactly how (F/n) thought she'd be spending her last day in Japan of the year.

"Oof! Hey- _ow!_ That was my foot!" Grumbling and muttering a few choice words under her breath, she shuffled a little closer to the wall. And she had thought _Midtown_ was bad.

Shoppers rushed by, their hands filled with bags no doubt filled with toys and food they had decided to buy last minute _for some ungodly reason._ (F/n) was starting to think that Tamaki was legit out of his mind for suggesting, then dragging, the entire host club out shopping the day before Christmas Eve!

"(F/n)!" The (h/c) gasped as Kyoya suddenly appeared behind her, somehow looking just as pristine as always, "I thought I lost you. Don't wander off like that."

She went to tell him off for reprimanding her, but decided to leave it be for now. He was just worried, and she didn't feel like arguing. Right now, the main goal was to escape the mall without being trampled.

The two inched their way forward along the wall, hoping they were approaching an exit, "Where are the others?"

"Hikaru and Kaoru have already bailed. I got a text from them about twenty minutes ago stating they'd rejoin us at your apartment later on, assuming we get out of here alive. Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai are taking refuge at the shopping center's bakery, since most of the inventory there has already been bought out. And you know that Tamaki won't let Haruhi out of his sight in a crowd like this. I think-"

The boy was cut off by a number of harried shoppers suddenly charging past, nearly shoving the two into a book display they were walking by. (F/n) quickly clutched at Kyoya's jacket and pulled the two closer to the wall, tucked into the corner of a pillar.

Taking in a deep breath, she stared up at Kyoya and saw his eyes wide in shock, "We're getting out of here. I already have presents for you all. I'm not about to get killed because of one of Tamaki's ideas."

"Agreed. On three?"

"One."

"Two."

"Three!" With an iron grip on each other, they waded back into the crowd.

*\/*

"(F/n)-chan! It's your turn!" The (h/c) paused in her admiration of the fancy bath bombs Tamaki had gifted to her, eyes lighting up. Since she was 'hosting' this little Christmas/Christmas Eve gathering, she had decided to hand out her gifts last. Also, this way she had already decided which of the wonderful gifts she would be packing into her suitcases to take home for the next two weeks.

With a smile, she quickly passed a gift to each of her friends, all decorated with red ribbons and green wrapping paper. Tamaki, who was sitting on her left, quickly ripped his open. His following shriek made the (h/c) smile brighter.

" _The Dangerous Book for Boys!_ This is amazing!" The blond was quick to start flipping through the pages, "How to grow crystals, how to build a treehouse… all the stuff commoners do in their free time! Thank you so much, (F/n)!"

"Just don't hurt yourself, Tamaki."

"Mm-hm." The blond was no longer listening, nose buried deep in the book already.

"My turn!" Honey's present wasn't wrapped. It was in a green bag instead, with red tissue paper sticking out the top, "Awwwww! It's so cuuuuute! Thank you, (F/n)-chan!" And cute it was. With help from his cousin, Honey was able to place the pink bunny ear headband on top of his head. Honey gleefully squished Usa-chan in a hug, so happy to finally match his prized possession.

Mori was next, and while he didn't make a sound other than a pleased hum and a thank you to the girl, (F/n) knew the tall boy was more than pleased with the new whetstone. Hikaru and Kaoru tore into their new sewing kits like they were filled with candy, and Haruhi similarly into the brand new cookbook for "fancy" dinners with "modest" ingredients. And finally…

"Kyo-chan, you've got the last one!"

The room quieted, everyone looking away from their presents to watch as the ravenet carefully opened his own box. With a smile, the boy revealed a brand new journal. It looked very much like the old one, except this one had the inscription ' _Property of K. Ootori_ ' on the front. The ravenet ran his fingers over the smooth leather surface before turning to thank (F/n) for the thoughtful gift.

"Open it."

He blinked, slightly confused, but did as she asked.

It was… a collage. There were no papers inside yet, which made it easy to see all the pictures. They all featured members of the host club. There were some of their old professional photos, a few of them hosting, but a majority of the pictures were of them hanging out casually. Their times at the beach, and at Karuizawa, and plenty more from when (F/n) arrived at Ouran and started spending time with her neighbor and her friends.

There are two pictures that are the largest of the bunch, both set in the middle of the front and back cover. The one at the front is the very first professional photo they had taken as a club. Haruhi wasn't there, and neither was (F/n). This particular photo had gone up on every high school bulletin board to promote the Host Club's services to the students of Ouran. It was one of Kyoya's first biggest accomplishments as Vice President of the club, and had been overwhelmingly successful.

The second picture was a selfie shot from Tamaki's phone. It was much more recent, too, as (F/n) were squished in the back of the group between Kyoya and Haruhi. Kyoya couldn't help but smile at the memory, recalling how upset Tamaki had been at being unable to capture the whole group of eight into the shot before Mori-senpai had grabbed the phone and taken it himself. From then on Mori was in charge of all Host Club selfies.

"Kyo-chan?"

"What is it?"

"What's there?"

Kyoya closed his journal. For some reason, he didn't want to show the others. At least not right now. It was his present. Only his.

"I love it, (F/n). Absolutely love it."

And (F/n) just _beams_ at him, her eyes practically lighting up. It took a lot of Kyoya's will to not press forward and just _kiss_ her, like every part of him wanted to.

Around the room the rest of the club started to lean in, half of them not daring to breath. (F/n) and Kyoya were staring at each other, seemingly lost in each other's eyes. Tamaki's hands were starting to shake in his lap. _Were they… were they finally going to-_

 _Vvvvvp! Vvvvvp! Vvvvvp!_

The entire room jumped at the sudden noise, (F/n) frantically pulling her phone out of her pocket, "Oh boy… I gotta leave in half an hour. Um…" she stood up, prompting everyone to follow suit. Five minutes later and everyone was bundled up in their winter things again, their presents in their arms and well-wishes being exchanged with the (h/c) before she closed the door.

The host club sighed as one, hardly able to believe the bad luck. They had been so _close._ Tamaki turned around to say something to Kyoya, perhaps prompt his friend to run back inside and kiss the girl before she left…

But he was already gone.

Saturday

(F/n) let out a big sigh, shuffling around a little to truly curl up on the couch. Wearing her favorite sweater, a mug of (f/h/d) in hand, and an old holiday movie playing, the (h/c) simply let herself sink into contentment. Ouran was lovely, and she enjoyed hanging out with her friends, but nothing beat the feeling of _home._

A throat is cleared beside her, accompanied by a tapping on her shoulder, "Are you going to share the couch?"

The girl smiles even brighter and leans forward, allowing Kyoya to ease himself onto the seat cushion behind her. Being mindful of the cup of tea in his hand, she settled herself with her back against his chest and sighed again. Somehow, this was even more comfortable.

Kyoya took a sip of his drink before wrapping his right arm around (F/n)'s waist, fully enjoying the warm weight leaning against his chest. He could get used to this. A chuckle escapes when she weaves their fingers together across her stomach. Yeah, he could definitely get used to more moments like this.

(F/n) goes to let out another sigh when a sudden ringtone breaks the peace, sparking another jump from the girl. Kyoya, frowning, set his tea to the side before pulling his phone out. His girlfriend turned her head, trying to read the screen, "Who is it?"

"Who do you think?" With that, he answers, "What is it, Tamaki?"

" _Kyoya? Where are you? I went to your house to pick you up because the twins want to try out sledding, but the maid that answered said you weren't home._ "

"Because, like I already told you, I'm not spending the winter holiday at home. My plane left yesterday, which is why I left so suddenly from (F/n)'s apartment. I had to finish packing."

" _You never told me that!_ "

"Yes, I did. You don't remember it because you were more focused on (F/n) leaving, concerned that she wouldn't want to come back." (F/n) covered her mouth attempting to stem her giggles. "Now, if that's all, I wish you a good winter break."

" _Wait a minute, Kyo-_ "

The ravenet snapped his phone shut. He went to put it back in his pocket, thought better of it, and turned off the ringer before tossing it by their feet at the other end of the couch. (F/n) let herself laugh out loud as they quickly resettled against each other.

"So… are we still gonna tell them we're together when we go back?"

No longer hindered by the cup of tea, Kyoya wound both of his arms around (F/n)'s stomach, smiling softly into her hair, "If you so wish. Though it has been very entertaining watching the others attempt to push us into a relationship. We haven't had to plan our own dates for the past week."

(F/n) laughed again, " _You're so cuddly all of the sudden..._ and yeah, it's been funny and all, but I can only _imagine_ the looks on their faces when we tell them we've been dating for almost a month without them noticing."

The boy hummed against her neck, "To be honest, I had expected more from Haruhi, Honey-senpai, and Mori-senpai."

"Well, it's not like we acted very differently back when we _weren't_ dating."

"Very true." Kyoya pulled back when he felt (F/n)'s head shift, willingly accepting the kiss his girlfriend offered. She tasted like (f/h/d) and those cookies she'd been nibbling on throughout the day. He gave her another quick peck before letting her lean back against his chest once more, the two settling down to watch the show.

* * *

 **Awww… what'd you think? I thought it was cute.** **And for those of you who read my other fics, hopefully this will be the first of many this holiday season.**

 **If you liked, please favorite, follow, and leave a review!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	23. Yours, Mine, Ours

**Hello everyone, I am back! I'm sorry for how long these are taking, but my life's been crazy these past few days/weeks/months. I'm now officially studying abroad in Japan this summer, my only sibling is graduating in a few months, and there was a recent school shooting at my college that kept me on lock-down for five hours. Needless to say, I'm glad that I now have the free time to sit down and do what I love to do. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **Thank you to AusllyBeliever, ktmyldy28, and Mikihiko Tada for your reviews on my last chapter!**

 **Warnings: Implied sexual interactions (It's not heavily implied until after the *One week later* time skip)**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own OHSHC at all. Bummer.**

* * *

 **(F/n) = First name**

 **(L/n) = Last name**

 **(N/n) = Nickname**

 **(h/c) = Hair color**

 **(f/c) = Favorite color**

 **(C/o) = Country of Origin (Spain, Brazil, Canada, America, etc.)**

 **(f/a/c) = Favorite autumn color**

 **(f/c) = Favorite color**

* * *

Yours, Mine, Ours

Late September. The time of year when the days grew shorter, colder, and for the students at Ouran Academy, more stressful.

At the moment, it was free period around the academy, and instead of lounging around or participating in their various clubs on campus, the students were diligently studying for their upcoming midterm examinations. And the club members of the Ouran Highschool Host Club were no different.

There were eight of them sitting around the music room; seven hosts and their one-woman "event staff", an exchange student from (C/o) that had bonded with the host club at almost record speed. Maybe because she wore the 'male' uniform like Haruhi did? Or because she was in class 2-A with Tamaki and Kyoya? Who knew, but after knowing each other for six months, (F/n) (L/n) and the Host Club were practically inseparable.

No one had said anything for the past ten minutes, ever since they settled down on the various couches around the room with their respective piles of homework and notebooks. Even the Hitachiin twins, as notorious as they were for taking out their boredom on their fellow club members, were working hard.

Everything was going smoothly...

Until Tamaki's hand twitched.

He paused in the middle of writing out an answer, eyes narrowing slightly. He let his gaze roam around the room. Haruhi was cute as ever, Honey-senpai was shoving another piece of cake in his mouth while his other hand wrote something down, the twins were practically draped over each other… nothing seemed amiss, so why did he feel like something was very _off?_

Honey was the next to feel it, but he was so engrossed in his assignment that he didn't realize until the sweet taste of cake stopped flooding his mouth. He had stopped eating without even realizing it. Looking up, he caught Tamaki's eye. Did he feel it, too?

Off to the side Haruhi tapped her eraser against the tabletop, willing her brain to refocus.

Hikaru felt a strange, itchy feeling scampering down his spine and sat away from his brother, rubbing his back against the couch in what he hoped was a casual manner.

Kaoru did the same.

Mori's heel began to bounce against the floor.

One by one, the six looked away from their various assignments and made eye contact with the others. Were they all feeling it? Why? How? What were they missing?

 _Ding-ding! ding-ding!_

The entire room jumped, gasps of shock escaping as their hearts rose and fell in their chests in time with each other's. The phone rang again in the silence that followed, prompting a slow build of laughter. And who could blame them? They'd been startled by a generic ringtone.

Kyoya reached into his jacket pocket, to no one's surprise. The only other member who didn't have a personalized ringtone for their cell was Haruhi, and it was common knowledge that she kept hers on vibrate 24/7. The others were beginning to shake off the strange tension and return to their school work when Kyoya began patting at the left pocket of his uniform.

Front pants pockets.

Back pants pockets.

Jacket pockets again.

His brow furrowed. Tamaki slowly lowered his notebook again, leaning forward in his seat, "Kyoya? Is-"

"(F/n)? I believe my phone is in my other jacket."

Without missing a beat, (F/n), who was sitting on the other end of Kyoya's couch, reached into _her_ jacket pocket and fished out a cell phone. _Kyoya's_ cell phone. Which meant _(F/n)_ was wearing one of _Kyoya's_ jackets. Which, from the sounds of it, Kyoya had purposefully _loaned_ to her.

She passed it to the boy on her left, not even lifting her eyes from the notes in front of her. Kyoya thanked her before walking off, answering the call with a polite greeting. Neither of them seemed to be aware of the gaping mouths and wide eyes staring at them.

A few seconds later and Kyoya stopped walking, "No, I'm not interested. Thank you." Flipping his phone shut he walked back, not having even gone fifteen paces.

With everyone else still frozen in shock, (F/n) had to be the one to ask, "Who was that?"

"Salesman."

"Mm. How long until my jacket dries?"

"It should be delivered within the next hour or so. The stain wasn't large."

As one, the rest of the host club relaxed. Yes, now they remembered. During their lunch meeting the twins had accidentally bumped (F/n) while they chased each other around the room, causing her to spill tea onto her jacket. They had assumed that the clean one she had changed into was her own. Apparently not. It also explained why something felt weird about the room. Unless they were looking for how the sleeves of the jacket (F/n) was wearing were a bit too long for her arms, they couldn't tell it wasn't her own uniform.

With those answers in mind, all eight students relaxed and went back to their papers. By the time the bell rang and they packed up to go to their last few classes of the day, the fact that (F/n) was wearing one of Kyoya's jackets had been pushed to the back of their minds.

*\/*

The white doors of Music Room 3 were unbearably plain. Sen Kouumoto gave them a hard stare before reaching out to the handle. He didn't understand why the host club hadn't thought to decorate them yet. Some rose decals, perhaps? Surely (L/n)-san would've suggested that by now?

At the thought of the new (C/o) exchange student, Sen's expression relaxed. Such a talented girl, especially if she was asked by Ootori-san, of all people, to assist him with event planning. According to Sen's sister, the party (F/n) had planned last month had been phenomenal. And who was Sen to let such talent go to waste? All he had to do was ask (F/n) to join his own club, which specialized in planning the school-wide events such as the Ouran Fair, and she would see reason. No doubt!

Peeking his head inside, Sen did a double take at the building cutouts standing around the edge of the room. _Oh… cosplay. Right._ Shaking his head to refocus, he looked around for any signs of life. The club didn't open itself to the public for another ten minutes, so he'd have to be quick. But from the looks of it, no one was in.

 _Wait, if they're doing cosplay today, then they probably have outfits they need to change into._

Pleased with himself for having figured out the problem, Sen slipped inside and crept to the back of the room, where another door could be seen through a gap in the cutouts. Pressing his ear to the wood, Sen could hear the sound of shuffling clothes and a few voices calling out to each other.

Soundlessly, Sen made his way into the second room, which had a long row of changing stalls set up along the wall. The curtains for the stall furthest away from him shifted and Sen jumped behind a set of hanging costumes for cover. Hopefully whoever was walking towards Sen wouldn't notice his feet underneath the garment bags. If the hosts knew he was there, they'd keep him from convincing (F/n) to leave!

"I'm all done!"

"Same here!"

"Who else has finished changing?"

"Me."

"We are!"

"Yeah, I'm all set."

"Uh… I'm having some trouble in here guys. Give me another minute." At the sound of (F/n)'s voice, Sen's heart-rate picked up.

"Okay, (N/n)-chan!"

"Scream if you need help!"

The others laughed and joked as they walked out of the room, leaving (F/n) all alone… with Sen.

Later, the boy would think over his actions and see how awful it looked. Later, he'd mentally hit his head over and over again and think of all the ways it couldn't gone differently. Later, he'd curse himself for not thinking his plan through and ruining everything he had set out to accomplish.

But at the moment, Sen left his hiding place without a second thought and walked up to (F/n)'s curtain. She had to be almost done, right?

"(L/n)-san, would-"

"AAH!"

Now, most boys at this point would've realized why (F/n) was screaming and have backed off, or tried to explain through the curtain what was happening or even apologize.

But Sen, stupid Sen… assumed that she had gotten hurt trying to get dressed, and wanted to help.

So he pulled the curtain to the side.

(F/n) screamed again, her voice jumping an octave as she fell back, her arms coming up to cover her chest. A pair of underwear and her bra were the only clothing items on (F/n)'s body. Tangled around her feet was what looked like a pair of jeans, which must've caused her to trip when she tried to move away from the opening curtain, and a rather cozy looking (f/a/c) sweater was hung up on the wall.

Sen's eyes went wide. _Oh… this looks bad._

Before another thought could process in his head, a collection of hands roughly grabbed at his arms and the back of his uniform, pulling him away from the girl on the floor. Sen's feet slid out from under him as the host club began dragging him back to the door.

"Peeping Tom!

"Wait! It's not what it-"

"Shut up!"

" _Peeping Tom!_ "

Rope was wrapped around his arms and legs even as Sen continued to scream, "It's not what it looks like! I swear!"

"We need a gag! Stat!"

"I'm sorry! It's really not- _mmmhm wmm hmmm!_ "

" _Get this pervert out of my club room!_ "

Sen screamed against his gag, still trying to explain as he was dragged out of the room. In the split second before the changing room door was slammed shut, Sen caught one last glance of (F/n). She was curled up on the floor, her face bright red and tear-streaked. Ootori-san was crouching down by her, hastily pulling off his grey cardigan to throw over her shoulders. (F/n) instantly leaned into Ootori-san's arms, shaking as he and Fujioka-san whispered into her ears.

Then the door shut, leaving Sen all alone with the rest of the host club. They were dressed up like they were going apple picking, wearing warm clothes the color of fallen maple leaves... and also looked angry enough to rip Sen apart limb from limb.

*\/*

"That was so fun!" Honey bounced on his toes as he lead the way to Music Room 3. The others watched in amusement as he zig-zagged through the halls. Bright sunlight cast his hyperactive shadow across the floor, a trick of the sun to hint at warm temperatures on the other side of the glass.

(F/n) rubbed at her eyes, barely stifling a yawn. "How does he still have energy? We were playing for hours!" The rest of the club shrugged in return, to tired to reply. Who could've guessed commoner games were so exhausting? Even with the cooler temperature, their guests had them playing for the entirety of the club's active hours.

Honey pushed the music room doors open with a mighty shove, took one step into the room, then promptly fell forward. His cousin rushed to grab him by the back of his school jacket, thankfully catching the boy before he face planted. The others hurried forward to see what had happened. Was he sick?

Nope. Just dead-tired. And fast asleep.

Smiling softly at the sleeping boy, (F/n) carefully brushed the fringe off his forehead before Mori began carrying him to the couch. She stifled a yawn again. _Actually… a nap doesn't sound all that bad._ With the first round of examinations done for the year, (F/n) finally didn't have a mountain of homework to complete for the night. So there wasn't any harm in dozing for a few hours.

With that logic in mind, the (h/c) sat down on the nearest couch and flopped onto her side. The soft cushions poofed up around her body, making her bounce just a little before settling.

(F/n)'s eyelids drooped, watching listlessly as most of the other club members collapsed on their own couches and chairs, just to give their tired legs a rest. _Besides… even if I don't actually sleep, I might as well rest my eyes..._

A few minutes later, Kyoya was forcing himself back onto his feet. Most of the others were chatting quietly with each other nearby, doing their best to not disturb the sleeping Honey-senpai. No one had any place to be, or anything to do, so there was no harm in them casually hanging around the music room after school.

However, Kyoya _did_ have something to do, and if he didn't start now, he had a feeling he wouldn't at all.

Walking over to his school bag, where it was resting by his usual club table, Kyoya spotted someone curled up on his guest's usual sofa. A small, rather fond smile appeared on the boy's face when he realized in was (F/n). She was fast asleep, breath slow and even as the day's excitement caught up with her.

Making sure the others weren't watching, Kyoya carefully slipped off his school jacket and draped it over her torso. All the other blankets in the room were being used by Honey-senpai, anyways.

Nodding at his handiwork, Kyoya carefully brushed a lock of hair out of (F/n)'s face before continuing on, plucking his journal out of his school bag. Smiling to himself, the boy quietly sat down on the couch just opposite the sleeping girl.

The other's conversation would've been a distraction anyway.

*\/*

"You're kidding, right?"

Kyoya paused just as his hand curled around the door handle, glancing over his shoulder. "What?"

The (h/c) let her mouth fall open for a brief moment before she frantically gestured at her classmate. "Wha- _this!_ Your clothes!"

"What about them?"

"Kyoya!"

The ravenet sighed and released the handle. He knew what (F/n) was talking about. He had hoped he would've been able to sneak out of the room without her noticing, but wasn't shocked at having been spotted. "I forgot to grab warmer clothes before I left home. It won't happen again."

(F/n) planted her hands on her hips. "Do you really think I'm going to let that excuse slide, Ootori? You only have a coat, for goodness sake!"

Kyoya shifted his weight, stuffing his hands into his coat pockets as he considered his response. He knew he wasn't nearly dressed warm enough… no hat, no gloves, and no scarf to protect him from the freezing temperatures. A mistake he was sure to regret for every moment he was outside, and possibly even after the fact. Tomorrow it would be impossible for Kyoya to make the same mistake, what with the layer of snow forecasted to fall tonight to remind him, but the remaining issue was how he was going to escape Ouran Academy without a lecture from the girl before him.

The two second years stared at each other for another moment before Kyoya reached forward and pulled (F/n)'s scarf off from around her neck. The (h/c) blinked in surprise, but stayed silent as the boy calmly wrapped the fabric around him instead.

Once that was done, he spread his hands to show off his work, "There. Will that satisfy you?"

(F/n) tilted her head, considering the view. Ever so casually, she reached up and tucked the stray ends in and bringing the patterned fabric closer to the boy's bare ears, "It's better than nothing. But don't forget to bring it back to me tomorrow when you have your own things."

Kyoya raised his eyebrows. He was sure (F/n) was going to insist on much more, such as her hat, which would've allowed for a brief moment of pointing out her hypocrisy. Before he could say just as much, the Hitachiin twins passed by the two, offering cheeky smiles and teasing waves.

"Awww… you won't even let him keep it, (L/n)-senpai?"

"It looks good on him!"

(F/n) eyed the boy's hats and gloves before waving them off. "That may be, but it looks better on me."

The twins laughed as the doors shut behind them, leaving Kyoya and (F/n) alone at the door once again. The (h/c) gave Kyoya a smile. "Even though they're right, that's still my favorite scarf, Kyoya."

"I'll take good care of it then. Shall we?" Kyoya opened the door, waiting for his classmate to go through before following, the both of them waving goodbye to the rest of their friends.

*\/*

"I'm _dying!_ "

 _Thud!_

Haruhi paused in her writing just as the body fell to the floor. She frowned at her classmate. "You're lucky my pen wasn't touching paper when you shook the table or you'd be _actually_ dead by now."

Ignoring the brunette's threat, Hikaru rolled onto his back and threw his arm over his eyes. "How can the universe be so cruel… to put me through such suffering!"

"Hikaru, no!" Kaoru dropped to his knees, causing Haruhi to growl softly in warning as the coffee table shook _again_.

In the kitchen, (F/n) finally turned away from the stove, where she was placing a pretty (f/c) teapot on one of the back burners. "Do you boys have _any_ chill? At all?"

"I think you know the answer to that is a 'no'," Kyoya answered from the table. He didn't even bother to send a glance over to the twins still moping on the living room floor, despite the clear annoyance in his voice. _They're the ones who insisted on gathering at (F/n)'s apartment to work on homework, and now they're trying to distract us?_

In the other room, Kaoru collapsed across this brother's back, propping his head up on his hands. "(F/n), why couldn't you just cook us lunch? Like last time?"

"Yeah, we're starving over here!"

"Is that what this is about?" (F/n) raised an eyebrow before returning her attention to the stove. "We all agreed on getting lunch delivered today. I can't always cook meals for you guys… I'm on a smaller budget."

The twins groaned loudly, practically melting into the carpet. Honey crawled across the couch and peered down at the boys from over the armrest. "Since you're so hungry, does that mean you're gonna grab the delivery?"

"NOSE GOES!"

As one, everyone in the room lifted a hand and touched a finger to their nose, a fair few of them giggling as they did so. It was apparently a decision-making game that was very popular in America. Tamaki had discovered it while researching potential cosplays a few months ago and had gleefully introduced it to the rest of the club. After a few weeks of playing along just to please Tamaki, it eventually became a game that they all took quite seriously.

"Damn it!"

(F/n) all but slammed the tea kettle back onto the stove. She had lifted it up just as Kaoru had announced the game. She was the only one not currently touching her nose. The twins began to laugh with glee. She'd lost last week, too!

The (h/c) glared at the boys. "You're the _worst._ "

"Love you, too!"

Not bothering to argue, the girl grabbed her jacket off the back of the kitchen chair. "Fine. They'll probably be here in a minute anyways. Someone else has to finish the tea, then."

"NOSE GO-"

"No! I'll do it!" Haruhi threw her pencil down, having officially given up on finishing her assignment before lunch. (F/n) gave her friend a weak smile before pulling on the rest of her winter clothes. Coat, hat, scarf, gloves, boots… done.

Haruhi opened up one of the cabinets hanging above the stove, eyes narrowing when all she saw were spices. "(F/n)-senpai? Where are your tea cups?"

"In the cabinet next to the fridge."

"Tha-" The brunette cut herself off when she turned to thank her friend. (F/n) gave the room a small wave in general before slipping out the door. Haruhi blinked in confusion.

(F/n)'s winter boots were still sitting right where she'd left them…

(F/n) had slipped on someone else's shoes...

 _Why did (F/n)-senpai take Kyoya-senpai's boots?_

*\/*

"Ugh! Why is so hot? It's only _spring!_ "

Kaoru nodded along with his twin, tugging at his white collar in vain. Of all the days for Ouran's excellent A/C system to wear out, it had to be on one of the hottest spring days on record, didn't it? The rest of their classmates looked to be suffering in a similar method, lethargically packing their bags as the school day finally ended.

Haruhi leaned back in her chair, swiping at her sweaty forehead. "Please don't tell me we're hosting today? I can't even _think_ in this heat."

"No, Kyoya sent a text that the club is closed for today."

"Yeah. We're gonna hang out at your place for the afternoon."

"Huh?"

"See you in half an hour, Haruhi!"

True to the twin's word, twenty-nine minutes later and Haruhi was opening the door for her seven friends to walk into her apartment. They'd all changed out of their uniforms and into tank-tops and shorts, sighing in relief as they once again escaped the heat. But it still didn't feel like enough.

Tamaki shook his damp bangs out of his eyes, the cold shower he'd taken a few moments ago already wasted upon his sweaty skin. "Haruhi? Could you turn down the temperature in here? It still feels too hot."

"Um…"

"Not a good idea, Tamaki. We should set up fans instead." (F/n) held up a box fan that Haruhi hadn't noticed her carrying before. "The A/C in our building isn't good at handling such a sudden shift in use. We'll be less likely to wear it out if we use these."

Haruhi nodded along. That was a good idea. Except…

She raised a hand. "(F/n)? Just so we don't blow a fuse or anything, would you mind if we had an extension cord coming from your apartment?"

"Oh! Sure!" Hastily shoving the fan into Mori's hands, the girl turned back towards her apartment door. "Kyoya? Could you also help me find my power strip? And I'm sure I have another fan hiding around, somewhere."

"Of course."

Haruhi blinked, her head jerking back a little as a realization struck her. She watched blankly as (F/n) and Kyoya disappeared back through the front door. _There's… there's no way..._

"Haruhi?" A hand was suddenly waved in her face, making the girl jump.

"What?"

"I think you zoned out there, Haruhi."

"You okay?" Tamaki's purple eyes were wide with concern, "You look sick or something. Do you need some water?"

"N-no. that's not it. It's just…" She glanced over at the door, not sure what to say. Or how to say it. Or if she should say anything at all. "I think… no, it's stupid."

"What?"

"Don't be stupid without us!"

It wasn't a shock to Haruhi that the twins wanted to know. Those two practically _lived_ off of gossip. They often tried to sneak off with Kyoya's black journal to read up on their fellow students. But that only made her hesitate further. If she said anything, and she was wrong… they wouldn't let go of it. _Ever._

"Haru-chan? Is something wrong?"

"I…" The brunette let out a breath. The boys weren't going to stop asking now, and it would be better to get it out now rather than later when (F/n) and Kyoya were back. "Look, I don't know if I'm right… but I think Kyoya-senpai is wearing one of (F/n)-senpai's tank-tops."

The room went quiet for a moment, the boys mulling over the new information in their own heads for a moment. It was true that they hadn't seen Kyoya wear that tank-top before, but had assumed he'd bought it recently. Only… there was no way Kyoya would've bought a tank-top from the same stores (F/n) shopped in.

Tamaki hummed, "Y'know… you might be right about that, Haruhi."

"I was wondering when he'd gotten that color."

"It's not the first time Kyo-chan has borrowed something from (N/n)-chan, though… right?"

"That's true… they actually seem to be sharing clothes a lot."

"I thought it was just his school jackets…"

"Wait, Kaoru, remember when he stole her scarf?"

"Yeah!"

"(F/n)-senpai also wore Kyoya-senpai's boots a few weeks ago, rather than put her own on."

"Do you think we should ask what that's about?"

"No way! They might not even answer honestly! And it's way to embarrassing!"

"I dunno, Boss…"

"Making Kyoya-senpai embarrassed sounds appealing…"

"Guys, c'mon! It might not even be anything! It might be a (C/o) custom we don't know about!"

"Well-"

"Got the extension cord!"

The six club members jumped as the door opened. (F/n) and Kyoya didn't seem to notice, the girl quickly pulling the rest of the cord inside while Kyoya held the door open for her, a power strip in hand. With a warning glare aimed in the twin's direction, Haruhi went to assist them.

Hopefully that would be the end of it. Their questions could wait for another day...

*\/*

Tamaki was going insane.

 _Why did Haruhi have to point it out? Why now? Why today?_

The blond tried to focus on the cards in his hand. It would be his turn soon, as soon as Honey-senpai and Kaoru finished their turns… but he couldn't _focus!_

Kyoya shifted in his spot on the couch, calling Tamaki's attention once more. Purple eyes immediately glued themselves to their owner's best friend. Or, more accurately, the controversial tank top he was wearing so casually.

"Tama-chan?"

The blond jolted, turning back around to face the table. "Sorry!" He looked down at the pile on the table. A red six. He had some reds. And a yellow six. And Hikaru, who was on his left, didn't have any yellows. But he only had the one yellow… so who's to say the color would change again come his next turn?

 _Decisions, decisions…_

A sigh from behind him set Tamaki's back straight. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as (F/n) rolled her neck, shifting herself into a more comfortable position on the other end of the couch. The book in her hand looked new.

 _Are they a couple and Kyoya just didn't tell me? Would he do that? Or are they just clothing thieves? Again, that doesn't seem like something Kyoya would do. At least not casually. Oh, who am I kidding, I've never even considered him doing it romantically either! Is it even romantic? Are they_ sleeping together?

"Yo, Earth to Boss!"

"You in there, Space Cadet?"

Tamaki jumped again, blinking hard to wash out those unpleasant thoughts from his mind. "Right… right… um… here."

He put down the yellow card without even thinking.

"Aww, damn! Maybe I should've just skipped you instead." Hikaru elbowed the blond at his side before drawing from the pile that was face-down. Tamaki stared at the eldest twin. _How is he so calm about this? How come the others aren't freaking out? At the very least trying to get some answers! I would've thought the twins would've been all over the opportunity to tease Kyoya? Where'd their mischievous side go, then?_

More shifting from behind him. Tamaki did his best to not turn around as (F/n) sighed, "I think I need some water. Any takers?"

"Please." Kyoya.

"Nah, we're good here, (F/n)-senpai." Kaoru, speaking for the rest of them. There wasn't any room for glasses with the card game.

"Alright." There came the sounds of (F/n) easing herself up onto her feet, carefully setting her book aside and-

"Hhhhhhhmmmm."

-stretching.

Unable to stand not knowing if his best friend would use the opportunity to check out Tamaki's female classmate, the blond turned his head again.

And screamed.

"NO! No, that is IT! I am DRAWING THE LINE HERE!" (F/n) wasn't the only one who jumped at Tamaki's shouts. Kyoya's book tumbled out of his hands while various Uno(TM) cards went flying over the carpet. The boy in question was on his feet, his own cards cast aside in favor of pointing viciously at (F/n). "ARE YOU AND KYOYA A THING OR NOT?"

"W-what?"

Tamaki stalked closer and poked at a white strip poking out just above her shorts. "THESE ARE A PAIR OF KYOYA'S BOXERS!"

What followed were two brief moments of silence. One for Tamaki's words to sink in. The second for everyone's eyes to glue themselves to the offending fabric the boy had pointed out.

Then there was total chaos.

The Hitachiins nearly flipped the table in their rush to move closer. Haruhi squeaked and covered her face, the only skin the others could see now a dark red color. Mori had launched himself in the general direction of his cousin, trying to cover his ears but it was too late. Honey was frozen in shock, staring seemingly off into space.

Only (F/n) and Kyoya seemed unaffected, though they definitely had a bit of a blush going on as well.

"Um…" The (h/c) seemed to be at a loss for words. "Well… yeah, they are." She winced at the following bout of screaming from the rest of her friends. She hadn't expected this.

Thankfully that was when Kyoya found his own voice, "I don't understand what's gotten you all whipped into a frenzy. (F/n) and I are in a relationship, after all."

Mori's hands dropped from Honey's ears out of shock, and Kyoya found himself being stared at from all corners of the room. If it weren't for his knack of staying calm in similar situations, Kyoya probably would've hidden his face behind his book.

Instead, he merely rested his elbow on the armrest behind his back and raised an eyebrow at the others. "You really hadn't noticed? We've been dating for quite a few months, now. Long enough, at least, to be more than comfortable with sharing clothing items. Even… ones that seem rather intimate."

Tamaki's mouth flapped like a fish. " _Months… you've been dating… for_ months?"

"You seriously didn't know?" (F/n) was fighting a smile, a battle she lost at the baffled expressions on her friend's faces. "And here I thought we were being overwhelmingly obvious."

"Probably could've stood to be a little more obvious, (F/n)-senpai."

And poor Haruhi sounded so defeated… (F/n) just had to laugh.

*One week later*

"Good morning, Shigeru-san!"

The Ootori family butler managed a rather amused smile as he stood back from the door. "And to you, too, Suoh-san, Hitachiin-san, Haninozuka-san, and Morinozuka-san. What brings you here this fine Saturday morning?"

The smallest member of the group happily bounced inside, already wearing a pair of house slippers that were a bit too big for him. "We're here to see Kyo-chan and invite him out for the day!"

"Is that so?" The older man's eyes twinkled as he shut the door. "And you were intending to do so how, exactly?"

Hikaru spoke up next. "Well, now that we know he's dating (F/n)-senpai…"

"...we know his kryptonite. We just have to mention she'll be there…"

"...and he'll come on his own!"

"I see." The man was smiling still, but it almost seemed to be teasing. "Very well, we shall not disturb you. Now, I trust you all will remember to leave your house slippers where you found them when you leave. And thus, I bid you… good luck."

The five boys laughed in their usual ways as they bade the man goodbye and thanks. Even with the Ace up their sleeve, waking Kyoya up early on the weekend was always a dangerous game to play, no matter the circumstances.

Even so, their spirits were high as they approached Kyoya's bedroom. Tamaki lead the way, greeting the other house staff along the way, while the four boys behind him got a good look at the place. They'd never been to this part of the Ootori mansion before… only the parlor and ballroom whenever the Ootori Patriarch put on a gala. Perhaps the next time that happened they could convince Kyoya to let them hanging out in his room for an hour or two away from the party? That could be fun!

When Tamaki finally came to a stop the other four nearly walked right by him, quite impressed with the molding and the rather warm colors in the hallway. Not what they had expected from the Ootori's…

The blond quickly knocked on the door. "Kyoya? You up?"

"Surprise!" The twins called out, cheeky grins already in place, "Now you've got nowhere else to hide from us, Kyoya-senpai!"

They waited for a moment, listening carefully for any sound. Tamaki shook his head. "His bed's up on the loft… he probably can't hear us." He knocked again, harder this time. "KYOYA! WAKE UP, SLEEPYHEAD!"

Pressing their ears to the door, the boys finally heard a soft voice. Knowing Kyoya, likely cursing their existence. They smiled, leaning back again.

"Don't make us come in there, Kyoya! You know what'll happen if you do! Besides, today we're dragging you out to do something you would've done anyway!"

"Yeah!" Honey leapt forward next, grinning ear to ear. "We're gonna go get Haru-chan and (F/n)-chan next, and then we're gonna go to town, then we're gonna get something to eat, then we're gonna shop and play and maybe watch a movie and get some ice cream and-"

Mori clapped his hands over Honey's eyes when the bedroom door opened. Because Kyoya wasn't the one standing on the other side.

(F/n) stifled a yawn with her free hand, offering a decent pause in the conversation for the rest of the boys to get a good look of her outfit. If one could call it that.

A one-size-too-large white dress shirt was half-buttoned across her torso, half of the collar flipped up against her neck while the other half stayed in its normal position. The bottom two buttons were not done, and they showed a small triangle of skin before it was covered up with a pair of boxers. A pair that Tamaki's mind unhelpfully remembered seeing Kyoya's older sister hang up around the bedroom as she went through all of Kyoya's clothing drawers.

But that wasn't even the worst part. All four boys felt literal steam rising out of their ears when they stopped freaking out over the clothes for a split instant. Because that's when they noticed the bruises. Oh, so many bruises. On her neck. On her thighs. On the small hint of skin they could see above the boxers. And all of them in the shape of a single human mouth. Occasionally with teeth prints.

"Morning, boys."

The (h/c) laughed as she watched her friends run away screaming. Further down the hall, she watched as a young maid enter from a conjoining hallway, also laughing at the teenagers. (F/n) shook her head. Shigeru might be a sweet man, but it was clear he had a slight "evil" streak of his own.

(F/n)'s laughter died down into a hum as a lithe arm wrapped itself around her waist. She allowed herself to be pulled back into the room, Kyoya's other hand shutting the bedroom door.

The staff knew better than to disturb them again for a few hours, still.

* * *

 **AUGH! I'M FINALLY DONE WITH IT! I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO BOTHER GOING OVER THE LAST TWO PARTS RIGHT NOW! Maybe I'll edit it tomorrow... oh, wait. It is tomorrow.**

 **For any asexuals here who are sex-repulsed or those readers who don't feel comfortable with the idea of sex before marriage, you can disregard that last scene or any part of it that made you uncomfortable. I apologize if it did make you uncomfortable in any way, and I'm in no way offended if you personally didn't enjoy that part of the chapter.**

 **I've also realized that I've made Hikaru and Kaoru (primarily Hikaru) very dramatic. And I like it. Dunno why… other than copying Tamaki's mannerisms as they get closer to him… Sorry, I'm a sucker for Family!Host Club.**

 **Regardless, I hope you enjoyed! I can't promise I'll be writing quicker, as my school-load is rather large this semester. Apologies in advance!**

 **If you liked, please favorite, follow, and leave a review!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	24. Umbrella

**HELLO EVERYONE I AM BACK!**

 **I could probably write a thirty page essay about everything I did in Japan these past three weeks, but I'm not going to do that to you all. But there are going to be more accurate facts and such as we go along in these stories. Hope you enjoy my work as always! Here we go!**

 **Thank you to AusllyBeliever and ktmyldy28 for your reviews on my last chapter! I hope you and everyone else reading this are having a fantastic day and enjoy this one-shot!**

 **Disclaimer: Unless you wish to sell your soul, I got nothing.**

* * *

 **(F/n) = First name**

 **(L/n) = Last name**

 **(f/c) = Favorite color**

 **Reader-chan, you're a college student in Japan, 'k?**

* * *

Umbrella

(F/n) liked the rain. Really, she did.

Raindrops pelting against the window frame, a hot mug of tea in hand, maybe a blanket around her shoulders. Perfection, as far as she was concerned. It was lovely weather for almost everything. Quiet days in. Netflix binges. Finishing papers for class. Game night with the roommates.

Of course, that's not to say there weren't downsides.

Unexpected rain could ruin anything left beside an open window. If you left your car windows down it completely messed up your whole day.

And when you have late night classes just before the edges of a typhoon swept over your campus, most people would agree the rain would just plain suck.

(F/n) whimpered as a particularly strong gust of wind pushed against her (f/c) umbrella. Even though she had the fabric angled almost directly in front of her, the wind still managed to push the sideways rain around the edges and pelt at her face and clothes. (F/n) held still for a moment, mentally begging for the wind to stop so she could keep going.

Once she could move again, (F/n) grit her teeth and began speed walking down the sidewalk, her wet shoes and socks combo squishing uncomfortably around her feet. Why did her last class have to be on the other side of campus? Usually she adored her late night walk, the artfully designed buildings lit up with the lamps, the open-air balconies along the second and third floors of every building perfect for brief stargazing, the general safety warnings that played on the escalators replaced with gentle music… but right now the one thing she wanted more than anything was to be back in her dorm room. To be out of the rain, eating some hot food, and take a long, hot bath. Then, she was going to sleep for a millenium. Or at least through the weekend.

Another strong gust stopped (F/n) yet again, nearly closing her umbrella down around her head. Through the dark, she could barely see the lamps glowing along the sidewalk. The escalator next to her was shut down, no help to her whatsoever. Not that she expected much else.

Was the system weatherproof? Yes.

Did it actually work during bad weather? Not so much.

Hurrying along her way, (F/n) had little to occupy her mind with other than swears in both Japanese and her native tongue. Sometimes her eyes would focus on the way she could see her own shadow on the inside of her umbrella, and she'd be momentarily shocked by how her wind-whipped hair made her look like Medusa, but then the cold rain would distract her once again.

The only thing about her surroundings that kept her attention that _wasn't_ the rain… was her umbrella's velcro strap. It was a short little thing, and usually she just stuck the two velcro parts together to keep it from making that annoying scratching sound against the fabric. But in her haste to get home as soon as possible, (F/n) had forgotten to do so. So now, as the wind whipped the strap back and forth like one of those little hand-sized flags at a parade, the rapid pats made it sound like footsteps rapidly chasing after (F/n).

It put her on edge, to say the least.

Especially when she realized that someone was actually following her.

Now, in the back of her mind, (F/n) knew her fear was a little unnecessary, considering how safe Japan was in comparison to her home country. But with the ominous weather and the velcro strap teaming up to provide a constant background movie of 'what ifs' in (F/n)'s head for the past twenty minutes...

When (F/n) first realized that she could faintly hear the sound of footsteps on sidewalk from behind her, her heart began pounding heavily in her chest. A quick peek had shown her a large black umbrella also being angled against the rain a few meters behind her. It was very possible that whoever was following didn't even realize (F/n) was there. A part of (F/n) felt bad that someone else got caught in the storm. The other part began mentally swearing up and down, wanting both for the stranger to quickly sped up and pass (F/n) so she could put them out of her mind and also never to catch up to her at all.

She kept walking.

Of course, while her thoughts were elsewhere, she was caught off guard by another strong gust of wind that nearly pushed her off her feet. Thankfully, (F/n) managed to keep her grip on her umbrella.

Unfortunately, whoever was behind her must've had a heavier center of gravity, because they didn't stop at the gust and ended up walking straight into (F/n).

(F/n) let out a shriek, both at being touched unexpectedly and at the cold wetness from the other umbrella suddenly soaking into her back. Through the heavy rainfall and wind, she heard a deep voice also shout in surprise. She spun around, somehow remembering to keep her umbrella pointed against the wind so it wouldn't be ripped out of her hands.

The man standing behind her did not.

He had only raised his umbrella for a second, staring at (F/n) with wide eyes, when another strong gust of wind blasted at them and ripped the big black umbrella out of the man's hands.

"No!" He made a desperate grab for the umbrella in vain as it shot straight up into the air and out of sight. (F/n) had a feeling that the next time the umbrella would be seen it would be way beyond repair.

And then the stranger was suddenly chest to chest with (F/n) and she forgot all about the drive-by umbrella murder she'd just witnessed.

Unable to speak, and rendered immobile by another gust of wind, (F/n) couldn't do anything but stare as the man before her quickly removed his glasses and wiped his wet shirt sleeve down his face.

"I'm sorry, but I need to share your umbrella for right now."

(F/n) merely nodded, the fear in her chest dying down now that she could see the stranger's face. He had short black hair that was plastered against his head from the rain. In his right hand was a small bag with the university's crest on the sides, very much like the one (F/n) herself was carrying. He must've just come back from a night class as well. Thank goodness the university's book bags were waterproof… perhaps the one perk of Japan's rainy season?

The man was hastily trying to dry his glasses, but it took him a moment to find a patch of dry fabric near his shirt collar to do so. His eyes were narrowed in either concentration or nearsightedness… possibly both. The expression kinda gave him a mean vibe, what with his sharp features and downturned lips, but (F/n) decided to give him a temporary pass on judgement. She probably looked annoyed, too, with this weather.

"I'm sorry for running into you." The man put his newly cleaned glasses back on his face, looking down at (F/n). His concerned face was much more pleasant in her eyes. "Did you get too wet?"

"Not any more than I already am. I'm sorry about your umbrella."

"Don't be. It wasn't your fault."

Before (F/n) could argue, and maybe offer to buy a replacement, another gust of wind buffeted them from the side. (F/n) actually stumbled a bit before the man shot his hands out to help hold the umbrella in place. Once the gust finished, (F/n) grimanced at her pants. The slanted rain had completely soaked them through by now. Same probably went for the guy.

She looked back up at the handsome stranger. "Let's get inside before we drown. We can share the umbrella. Are you going to the dorms?"

"Yes. Thank you."

(F/n) waited until the man had readjusted his grip on his bag and her umbrella before asking, "What's your name?"

"Kyoya Ootori. Yours?"

"(F/n) (L/n)."

"Pleased to meet you, (L/n)-san. I wish it were under better circumstances."

"Same. Let's go."

The two began to walk, Kyoya's long strides a bit of an issue for (F/n) at first before she reminded herself that with Kyoya's help she was getting back quicker than she would've by herself. So she didn't say anything and resigned herself to an unplanned jogging experience.

Still, the dorms were at least another five minutes away, and introductions or not (F/n) felt a little awkward walking arm in arm with a handsome man in complete silence.

So…

"I'm really thankful for Japan's drainage system."

(F/n) spotted Kyoya turning his head out of the corner of his eye. If she had to guess, he was probably looking at her like he couldn't believe what had come out of her mouth. She couldn't blame him. She was thinking the same thing.

"Um, I mean, just in comparison to other places. The one thing that could make this situation worse would be if we had to avoid huge puddles in the middle of the sidewalk."

Kyoya regarded her for another few moments before replying, "I never really thought about that. Suppose you're right. Do you deal with such puddles where you're from?"

"Is it that obvious I'm a foreigner?"

"I'd have to say so. You stand out."

"Not enough to not be run into, though, it seems."

"Again, I must apologize-"

(F/n) quickly cut him off. "Don't, I was kidding. I needed to distract myself from the rain somehow."

"I suppose a distraction isn't the worst idea." Kyoya grimaced and shifted so he was walking a little behind (F/n), more towards the center of the umbrella. "I know for a fact that the moment I walk into my dorm room my roommate is going to be shoving me towards the bathroom for a hot bath."

"Isn't that… not a good idea?"

Kyoya nodded. "Yes. But he won't listen to any arguments against it. He grew up in a city without extremely cold winters, so he's not very knowledgeable on how to battle the cold."

"Hm. Not good. So, what's your plan?"

"My shoes and socks are soaked, so I should get out of them as fast as possible. But, I also need time to warm up before I'm shoved towards a hot bath." Kyoya checked his watch and sighed. "And the cafeteria just closed. Perfect."

(F/n) whined against her will. She'd been hoping to get back before the cafeteria stopped serving hot food… But that wasn't to say she didn't have back-up options.

"If you need, I have some ready-to-make meals in my own dorm. My roommate is spending the night at her girlfriend's place, so it's not like you'll be questioned or interrogated. And maybe we could run your shoes and socks over with my hairdryer before you put them back on…" (F/n) trailed off when she realized that Kyoya had intentionally moved back to her side so he could stare at her. "...or not."

"Are you inviting me to your place?"

"I _was_ until you started staring at me like a weird-o."

Kyoya blink. " _I'm_ the weird one?"

"Well, I was inviting you as a bit of an apology for making you lose your umbrella, and as a thank-you for helping me push against the wind gusts, and because we're in the same sucky situation and I'd feel terrible if I got a proper warm-up and hot food and you didn't. But if you can't even handle being in the same room as a girl then-"

"No! Hold on." Kyoya's walking had slowed down a bit, which (F/n) was grateful for. He seemed to be at a loss for words. "It's just… I'm not used to strangers offering their food and rooms to me after five minutes of knowing me."

"How come?"

"People find me intimidating."

(F/n) raised an eyebrow, looking between Kyoya's drenched hairstyle, the (f/c) umbrella he was brandishing against the wind like a sword, and his raindrop smeared glasses that hovered halfway off his nose. She could barely keep a straight face as she responded, "Oh yeah… no, I definitely see that. Yeah, you probably send the girls off in terror. You and your kitty-cat shirt."

Kyoya drew his free hand up abruptly, knocking himself in the chest with his wet school bag. "It was a birthday gift from my sister! My idiot roommate decided to do my laundry as a way to be "nice" and left me with only this!"

(F/n) couldn't help it. She began laughing. It was quiet compared to the rain pounding against the umbrella and the sidewalk, but considering how close they were it wasn't like Kyoya couldn't hear her regardless. Or resist the urge to join in.

Because really, what were the odds?

"So, are you coming to my dorm room, or what?"

"On second thought, (L/n)-san, I believe I will take you up on your offer. Which building are you in?"

"East."

"Ah… I'm in North. Would you mind if I borrow your umbrella when I go back to my own room later tonight?"

(F/n) smiled up at the man. "On three conditions. One, you return it to me tomorrow. Two, you treat me to lunch. And three, you keep a better grip on it than you did with your own umbrella."

Kyoya smiled back, inching a little closer to her to better protect them both from the continuing rain. "I do believe I can manage that."

* * *

 **Welp, this took a different direction than I first planned it, but I like this plot better. And at least I'm updating again! Hallelujah!**

 **See you next chapter!**


	25. Baby, It's Cold Outside

**Thank you to AusllyBeliever, ktmyldy28, and two guests for your reviews! This is a request from one of the guests, and it was so cute I couldn't resist!**

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 **(F/n) = First name**

 **(L/n) = Last name**

* * *

Baby, It's Cold Outside

Kyoya Ootori loved the winter.

That might come as a bit of a shock to most people, considering Kyoya seems like the type of person who'd scoff at something as trivial as a "favorite season". But he does. And it's definitely winter, above anything else.

Not many people know of this, of course. And they often don't find out from being told outright. His older sister, Fuyumi, and his friends from the Ouran Host Club were the only people who both knew and had received a verbal confirmation of Kyoya's seasonal preference.

They were also the only ones to make fun of him for it.

"It makes total sense," they'd remark, typically in a teasing fashion, "Such a cold outer appearance, it makes sense that you prefer _chillier_ weather."

And then they'd laugh and attempt to hug or otherwise touch him, reassuring Kyoya that they only teased him out of love. Kyoya knew that, so he didn't mind the annual rounds the joke made once the stores started selling calendars for the new year.

Still, for all their words and smiles, the one thing they've never figured out was _why_ Kyoya likes the cold weather so much. Oh, they've guessed plenty of times, but not once did they get it right. Sure, the snowfall is pretty every year and the Christmas festivities made for some really nice seasonal-themed Host Club parties and sales, but those aren't his reasons.

No, what Kyoya loves the most about the winter is his ability to finally open his closet and start tackling his stockpile of warm winter clothes. As he was more averse to touching people than some others he could mention, most everyone was unaware that Kyoya's hands and feet were almost perpetually freezing. It was rare that he had proper feeling in both, let alone one.

And yet, he didn't like the summer. In summer, while it was nice to get the feeling in his fingertips back, he _hated_ being sweaty and dealing with sun burns and not being able to breathe because the air was always either too stuffy or humid.

But in the winter? He could throw on multiple layers under his school uniform and no one would be the wiser. Wrapping himself up in sweaters and fuzzy socks when he got home was acceptable and expected, even with the heating system running full blast. No one batted an eye when he stashed heat packets inside his mittens for him to hold. His numerous scarves and hats and earmuffs ensured that he'd never be in a situation without a pair of each. Said scarves also served as the perfect thing to nuzzle and hide his face in as he walked down the street. And if he ever _did_ miscalculate and end up sweating beneath his coat and the four layers beneath it, there were no A/C units running to immediately freeze it to his skin.

It was the one time of year where Kyoya felt _warm_. Not too hot, not too cold, and he _loved every second of it._

Of course, there was also the issue of (F/n) (L/n), who happened to look ridiculously cute in winter clothes.

Not that she doesn't always look cute. It's just that, during the winter, all bundled up and with a scarf wrapped around the lower half of his face, Kyoya was more willing to indulge himself and risk giving (F/n) more than a brief glance out of the corner of his eye. And he could also focus more of his attention on her that way, rather than being forced to spread it to his other guests so as to not seem like he was playing favorites.

If he wasn't so worried about how his attraction would be received, Kyoya might've actually done something about his little crush by now. Sure, he was her official host during club activities, but since he knew that a majority of his guests were merely there for his looks and had no actual interest in his "cold" personality, that didn't necessarily mean anything.

Somedays he wished he'd never developed feelings for (F/n) in the first place, but he also knew well enough that he never could've predicted where his emotions were headed before it became too late to stop it.

Back when (F/n) had first arrived at the Host club, being dragged there by her closest friend, (B/f/n), Kyoya had only seen her as a potential new client. Which is why he was the first to notice how she obviously wasn't "clicking" with Tamaki. Kyoya reasoned, correctly, that it was due to the overwhelming and "cookie-cutter" attention the blond was giving her.

Having narrowed the field down, Kyoya gave her a charming smile and offered to set up an appointment with Mori for her the following afternoon. Honey would also be included, as a package deal, but (F/n) had agreed, willing to try again.

To Kyoya's interest, however, the next day he was quick to realize that (F/n) once again wasn't enjoying the club's activities to her fullest potential. Before confronting her for a second time, Kyoya had done a brief background check on her. To his surprise, she wasn't betrothed to anyone, nor did she have a significant other, or even a crush as far as Ouran's rumor mill could tell. Which mean that any lack of pleasure was due to a personality difference, rather than an outside interference.

So, deciding that a direct course of action was necessary to maintain their newest client, Kyoya elected to be blunt when asking (F/n) what she wanted from her time with them.

The girl's face had gone a soft pink as she thought up an answer. Her eyes flickered around the room, starting and ending with Mori and Honey before lifting back to Kyoya. Her voice quivered with embarrassment as she admitted that she _was_ looking for some attention from her host. Just… not to Tamaki's overwhelming extent. She wasn't looking for someone to just tell her she was pretty or cute, but she did want to talk. Real conversations. One on one, if possible.

She wanted to be heard.

At the request, a solution immediately appeared in Kyoya's head, and yet he hesitated for a moment before offering his services. He didn't have many guests signed up under his name, most of the club's clientele preferring to only hear a few smooth words from him here or there while reveling in his companion's attention the rest of the time. As for the ones who did prefer his company over the others, more often than not they just wanted him to say romantic, refined empty words and compliment them on whatever hairstyle or make-up they'd had done to themselves that morning. It was the only way Kyoya found himself capable of keeping his sharp wit out of the conversation and scaring the guests off.

But to have a guest that just wanted to talk? Have a real conversation? For an extended period of time? Even as Kyoya offered to host (F/n) the next day, he couldn't help but wonder in the back of his head how long it would take for her to leave and never come back.

Only, the end result hadn't exactly worked like that.

A week later and Kyoya found himself enjoying (F/n)'s company more than he had anticipated. The girl was smart, witty, an enjoyable conversation partner, and even when he slipped up and something less-than-respectful came out of his mouth, she merely giggled and relaxed her own standards. She was officially first client that made _him_ feel comfortable.

Even when she started showing up to speak with him every day of the week during their morning, free period, and after school hours, it had been no skin off Kyoya's nose to accommodate her. If anything, he supposed she might've been accommodating him. Kyoya had often found himself letting their meetings run over the time limit or even jotting down the latest topic so they could pick up where they left off the next time they saw each other, both actions which upset Kyoya's other guests.

He supposed that after one to many interruptions from other guests who felt the need to butt into their conversations, it was simply easier for her to be there every available hour, so they could talk whenever the opportunity presented itself.

He hadn't realized at the time that he was slowly falling.

But by the time the weather turned cold, it was too late.

She had breezed into the club room that fateful morning wearing a grey peacoat over her uniform that went down to what he assumed was her mid-thigh. As she drew closer to his table, he couldn't help but notice the flashes of black leggings peeking out above her black buckled boots with every step. Her black scarf and earmuffs were draped around her neck, holding down her hair which she hadn't bothered to fix just yet. (F/n) had cheerfully waved at Kyoya with her matching black mittens, and when he noticed the cute red color across her cheeks and nose he could've sworn he'd been frozen to his seat, despite the warm flush spreading through his body.

Five minutes later she told him that winter was her favorite season and Kyoya was officially _gone._

And he knew it.

That had been two months ago and Kyoya still had no idea what to do about it. Enjoying conversations with someone wasn't the same as liking them personally, and Kyoya felt that he couldn't risk losing whatever he currently had with (F/n) by confessing. And yet, he wanted to confess all the same.

It was a horrible dilemma, he thought to himself as he walked up the school's lawn that morning, same as always. Ever since that day where he'd realized his feelings for (F/n), Kyoya found that almost all of his free time was suddenly preoccupied by thoughts of (F/n) and what he should do about his situation. Sometimes the thoughts went beyond his free time, too, which was another problem in and of itself.

He'd already humiliated himself by having to ask Tamaki for math help after he'd daydreamed his way through the first lesson on a new chapter. _That_ hadn't ended well at all. Not just because that was the day Tamaki learned of Kyoya's "crush".

Taking in one more deep breath of the crisp air, Kyoya buried his nose into his dark green scarf, shutting his eyes for a moment and letting himself enjoy the warmth. Through his earmuffs he could still faintly hear the snow crunching beneath his boots as he made his way to the main school building. The heating packs placed by his toes were at just the right temperature below burning, as were the ones his hands were curled around inside of his mittens. Opening his eyes, Kyoya isn't surprised to see that his warm breath had escaped from the top lip of his scarf, fogging up his glasses, but neither could he be bothered enough to care about it.

Pulling his nose back out of the scarf, letting his glasses clear up on their own time, Kyoya was given another five seconds of silent thoughts before someone brushed past him, calling out a name.

"(F/n)!"

Kyoya's shoulder's stiffened on reflex, and as he stared through his gradually clearing glass lens, he realized exactly _who_ he'd been walking behind for the past minute or so. (B/f/n) was now hanging off of (F/n)'s arm, rattling on about something or another that Kyoya couldn't hear, (F/n) smiling happily at her friend.

Kyoya can't help but admire her cute outfit once again. It was almost exactly the same as it was the first time Kyoya had seen in on her, save for the white earmuffs and mittens combo, which only supported just how deep Kyoya was getting, considering his only thought was _good lord she's so adorable._

He quickly buries his nose back into his scarf as soon as he feels the blush welling up on his cheeks. Unfortunately, the move disrupts his earmuffs just enough that he could now hear the conversation coming from in front of him. He didn't mean to eavesdrop, but the girl's voices sort of carried around the empty, snow-covered yard.

"(F/n), are you going to the Host Club today?"

"Well, yeah. Of course."

"Ooo~"

"Oh, shut up. I go every day."

"Yeah, no kidding. I barely see you anymore now that you spend all your time with-"

" _Shhhh!_ "

Kyoya's heart beat solidly and rather painfully in his chest, like it was suddenly hitting against the lung it was tucked behind and his body couldn't tell whether the collision hurt his lung or his heart more. (F/n) had a crush… on someone in the Host Club. And as much as Kyoya wanted to hope, there was no guarantee-

"Oh, please. Everyone in class already knows you like him."

"(B/f/n), shut up! And there's no way everyone can know or else he'd know by now, too!"

"Well…"

"Don't even joke about that."

"Oh, come on! You're super cute and smart! Why _wouldn't_ he like you?"

"You're just saying that because it's your job. And I'm not the only girl he talks too. He probably wouldn't even remember my name if I didn't talk to him so often."

Kyoya's eyes widen and he lifts his head a little, catching the hint of a dark flush encompassing (F/n)'s cheeks. Possibly her whole face.

"Oh, _pul-lease!_ I've seen the way Ootori looks at you! He's not nearly as relaxed or animated with any of his other guests."

"You're seeing things again, (B/f/n)."

"Yeah, because they're _true._ "

"I asked you to drop it. There's no way-"

"Kyoya!"

He made the mistake of stopping when he heard his name, which gave Tamaki ample time to catch up and throw his arms around Kyoya's shoulder in a rather chaotic form of hugging. And, to Kyoya's horror, the girls in front of him turned around at Tamaki's shout just in time to see the blond accidentally tug on Kyoya's scarf until it unwound completely from his face.

(B/f/n)'s mouth was open in shock and regardless of how large (F/n)'s blush had been before, it most certainly was bigger now, even reaching her forehead as they stared at Kyoya.

Despite the surprise attack and the embarrassment wriggling in the back of his mind, Kyoya managed to compose himself enough to hum, "Good morning, Tamaki. Before I forget to tell you, during club hours today I'm expecting a special guest, so I'll be sending most of my clients over to you."

"Eh?"

Tamaki's questioning noise was answered by a rather startled yelp, making him peek over Kyoya's shoulder to look at the two girls watching them. Immediately his eyes brightened, a smile reappearing even as he "casually" knocked his elbow into Kyoya's side and greeted both his and Kyoya's guests.

"Ah, hello (B/f/n) and (F/n)! Oh, wow, (F/n), your coat looks truly adorable with your uniform. I'll admit, I first thought Kyoya was just playing favorites when he mentioned it but- _mmmph!_ "

" _Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up._ " Kyoya spun Tamaki around, careful to keep the blond's scarf pressed tightly against his mouth as he hastily shoved him up the steps and into the school. Tamaki nearly lost his balance at the doorway, and when Kyoya went to hoist him up, he couldn't help but glance over his shoulder at the two girls they'd left behind.

(B/f/n) is wearing a gaping smile, excited eyes zipping between him and (F/n) in a jerking, almost comical motion. If Kyoya had to bet, she was probably thinking along the lines of this being the best day of her life.

And (F/n)?

Her whole face is a dark pink, which perhaps was an improvement from the deep red from before, and the question on whether it's from the cold or something else is answered when she gives Kyoya a small, shy smile and waves before he manages to slip inside the school, dragging Tamaki along.

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 **AAAWWWW! How cute! I loved writing this out and I hope you enjoyed reading this, especially as the weather grows colder! Now, I'm afraid that I'm going to have to put any future updates on the backburners from here on out. If I'm struck by inspiration I'll do my best to write it, but updating this story is no longer going to be a priority. I'm sorry, but considering I will be writing a novel this month for NaNoWrimo (which I highly encourage to any of you who are also writers), and I have an idea for a Kaoru x Male OC story, I hope you'll understand!**

 **Thank you all so much for your support, and I hope you continue to enjoy my work!**

 **See you next story!**


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